The Perfect Life
by credence barebone
Summary: Spencer Hastings was going to have the perfect life. She was intelligent, independent and beautiful. She would go to college, start her career, marry Toby at a respectable age and have two children; a boy and a girl. The fool proof plan. Only she ruined it with one mistake. Spencer Hastings was 17 and pregnant. Slightly AU.
1. In The Beginning

**Hello all you PLL fans! Hope you read and review this because I really need motivation to carry on with this! Just before you starting reading, it's important later on that you know now that in this story, Toby wasn't revealed as A before this like in the show. I have a whole story planned out but I need to know what you think! Thanks in advance! - A (just kidding its me ;P)**

* * *

In The Beginning

OR

Hey Jude

* * *

'OK, I said I'd do it!'

Spencer slammed her back door shut irritably and stormed into the kitchen. Her mother was sitting on one of the stools peacefully, sipping coffee. She rolled her eyes when she saw Spencer's face.

'Something wrong, sweetie?' she asked tiredly, offering her daughter a biscuit.

'Yes, mom! Something is wrong! Do you want to know what?' Spencer asked hotly.

'Of course I do.' Veronica sigh, taking a bite of the biscuit herself when Spencer brushed it aside.

'Hanna Marin! That's what's wrong! She and Caleb are having a date tonight, and they want me to drive them to Philly! On a Friday night!' Spencer thumped the counter to show how ridiculous of a request this was.

'Well Spencer, may I ask what exciting plans you have that would be spoiled by this devastating turn of events?' Veronica asked sarcastically.

'Umm…ordering pizza and watching Netflix. But that's not the point!'

'I see. Could you _get_ to the point, dear? Only my coffee is getting cold and I need to stay awake this evening.' Veronica sigh, taking another gulp of her drink.

Spencer opened the fridge and stuck her head in uninterestedly.

'Why do you need to stay awake tonight?' she asked, pushing a carton of milk aside.

'Because Melissa is flying home. She's finished with her course and she's going to want a cooked meal on the table when she arrives here at god knows what time of the night!' Veronica ranted, swigging away at her coffee fiercely afterwards.

Spencer straightened up abruptly, banging her head on the door of the fridge in the process.

'Melissa's coming back from New York?' she asked tentatively.

'Yes.' Her mother snapped, 'I was hoping you two girls could get along for a few months?'

' _Months_? Why is she coming back? Don't they need her to go somewhere else?' Spencer cried.

Veronica sigh, peering at Spencer tiredly.

'Spencer, I didn't want to have to tell you this but Melissa was fired. Please don't bring it up or act like you know or rub it in her face.'

Spencer blinked at her mother twice before she answered.

'Mom, I would never do something like that!' she started but the look her mother gave her was enough to stop her carrying on.

'I wouldn't put it past you, Spencer. It's not like you haven't done worse things in the past.' Veronica glared, picking up the newspaper and flipping it open.

Spencer stood staring at her mother for a moment, eyes filling up with tears, but her mother had become engrossed in an article about finance, and didn't appear to realise she'd hurt her daughters feelings in anyway.

Grabbing a cereal bar from the fridge, Spencer rushed up to her room, hoping to call Toby or Emily and have them cheer her up for a while. Before she did so she noticed a pile of French homework waiting for her on her desk and spread the sheets out on her bed covers, reading over them half-heartedly. She was just thinking about how she hadn't had a message from A for a while when a loud crash sounded from next door.

Spencer shot to her window and peered across to the DiLaurentis house. Mrs DiLaurentis was standing in the window again, staring straight at Spencer. She was holding what Spencer could only guess was a hammer. Gulping nervously, she waved at the woman, and after what seemed like years Mrs DiLaurentis smiled and drew the curtains shut sharply.

Sitting back down on her bed shakily, she picked up her phone to call Emily and relay what had just happened when it buzzed in her hand. Spencer dropped it like she'd been electrified and it made a loud thud on her floor.

'Spencer! What are you doing up there? That Cavanaugh boy had better not be climbing in the window again!' Veronica called from downstairs.

'Mom! I'm not doing anything! I just dropped my phone!' Spencer called back irritably.

'Well it had better not be broken! That is an expensive object, you know!'

'Yes, and I paid for it!' Spencer muttered to herself, peering down at the phone on the floor cautiously.

She shook her head at her anxiousness. It wasn't like A was going to reach through the screen and grab her arm. It was probably just Toby texting to say he was finished at work. Or Aria asking her if they had English the next week.

Spencer reached down and picked it up, opening her messages hesitantly and breathing a sigh of relief when she saw it was only Hanna. Opening the message, she took a bite of her cereal bar.

Hanna Marin: SOS come over ASAP!

Grabbing her brown jacket from the back of her chair and sticking her feet back into her boots she flew down the stairs and was stopped by a stern looking mother.

'Spencer. Where are you going now? You've been home 2 minutes and you're off out again.' Veronica raised her eyebrows at Spencer.

'Look mom, I can't talk now, Hanna's got a problem!' Spencer gabbled, trying to push past her mother.

'Really? Would you care to enlighten me then, because all of your friends problems end up with me getting called down Rosewood police station for questioning?!' Veronica replied angrily.

'Mom seriously! She just wants to make sure I know where I'm going for this date of hers.' Spencer lied easily.

'Why can't she ask that over the phone?' Veronica enquired.

Why did her parents have to be lawyers? Spencer rolled her eyes, thinking fast.

'You're always telling me to get of my phone and speak to people face to face!' she cried triumphantly, ducking under her mother's arm and out of the back door.

Racing down the street, she glanced back at the DiLaurentis house. Jason was sitting on the porch, watch her run past. She waved at him as she had done to his mother and he nodded his head back at her. As she started to turn around she noticed Mrs DiLaurentis also watching her from a bedroom window. The woman's eyes were red like she'd been crying and she was clutching a piece of material in her hands.

Spencer slowed down to a stop and turned back around, looking straight at Mrs D, who disappeared almost immediately. She jogged back to where Jason was sitting, completely forgetting about Hanna for the moment.

'Hey Jason!' she smiled, throwing herself down beside him.

'Spencer.' Jason didn't smile back, but Spencer sensed he didn't mind the company. Jason didn't smile much anyway, and Spencer didn't blame him.

'How is your mother?' she asked carefully, studying his face for any sign of emotion.

'How is yours?' Jason asked in the exact same tone.

'Jason.' Spencer sigh, hitting his arm gently. 'Is she ok? Can I do anything to help?'

'She's the same as she was last week, Spencer. Why are you asking?' Jason said shortly.

This didn't deter Spencer, Jason was short with everyone.

'I'm just, you know, being neighbourly!'

'Are you sure your mother would like that?' Jason asked.

Spencer ignored his question, picking at a loose thread of her jeans distractedly. 'Jason?'

'Hmm?'

'How's your father?'

'My father? I'd have thought you'd have been able to answer that. You know, seeing as he's yours too.' Jason replied blatantly.

'Jason, don't be smart with me. You know what I meant.'

'I haven't the slightest idea, Spencer.' Jason lied.

Spencer glared at him reproachfully before rolling her eyes and giving in.

'How is Kenneth?'

'Kenneth is perfectly fine. What do you want, Spencer? And don't say you're being _neighbourly_.' Jason snapped.

'I was curious. Your mom seemed upset and I haven't seen Kenneth for months. I thought maybe-'

'-they divorced? You're smart, Spencer. That could be a good thing, or a bad thing. Depends on the situation.' Jason interrupted.

Spencer was silent for a few minutes. She wasn't shocked. Simply satisfied. She knew that was rather awful, but she liked getting answers and Jason knew that.

'And in this situation?' she asked eventually.

Jason looked her dead in the eye. 'In this situation it's a bad thing. A very bad thing, Spencer.'

He stared at her for a moment longer before standing up and leaving her alone outside on his porch. She was just about to carry on her way to Hanna's house when she noticed Jason had left a scrap of paper where he'd been sitting. She snatched it up quickly, reading it.

 _If you need anything, I'll be in shed behind the house. There's a gap in the fence in your garden. Knock on the wall 3 times. I'll answer._

Spencer frowned. Was this meant for her? Or had Jason wrote it for someone else. Glancing up at the front door, she contemplated going to give it back. She was sure she would have if she hadn't have been terrified of Mrs DiLaurentis answering the door.

She shoved the note in her purse and ran like a crazy woman until the house was out of site.

When she reached Hanna's, she knocked on the door with a shaking hand. She now allowed terrible thoughts to flood her mind about Hanna's text. What had happened now? Was it A? Her mother? Caleb?

Ashley Marin opened the door with a smile on her face, so Spencer mentally crossed her off the target list.

'Spencer! I expect you've been summoned by the Queen!' Ashley joked, and Spencer assumed she meant Hanna. 'She's upstairs, with Aria and Emily.'

'OK, thanks,' Spencer muttered, still in a panic about everything.

'You don't need to look so worried, dear! It's just a cancelled date and she has a breakdown, the drama queen!' Ashley rolled her eyes, guiding Spencer upstairs and into Hanna's room.

Hanna was sitting on the bed, mascara running down her face in streaks and wearing her old fluffy pyjamas. Aria was still next to her, rubbing her back and Emily was standing at the window, phone in hand.

'I'll fetch the chocolate, shall I?' Ashley sigh, and Hanna burst into a fresh set of tears. She left the room and immediately everyone began talking a once.

'Where have you been?'

'I was just about to call you!'

'What's going on?'

There was a couple of indecipherable mumbles from Hanna which Aria translated for Spencer.

'Caleb had to leave town so she's upset about missing her date.'

Spencer let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding in and sank down on the bed next to Hanna.

'God, is that all?' she asked, 'I was thinking more like Caleb's been buried in your back yard or your Mom's been accused of murdering another cop or-'

'Spencer, I don't really see how this is helping.' Emily raised her eyebrows and joined them on the bed.

'I'm just saying, we've faced worse than boyfriends leaving town!' Spencer sigh.

'So where have you been?' Aria asked as Hanna took deep breaths in between her sobs.

'I saw Jason, his mom and dad are divorcing.' Spencer told her three of them.

'No way!' Emily cried, leaning forward. 'What else did he say?'

Spencer hesitated. 'Umm… nothing. Nothing else. Mrs DiLaurentis was pretty upset about it. She was watching me in my bedroom from across the yard holding a hammer. I hate living next door to her.'

'She's one creepy lady,' Hanna said, her voice wobbling a little.

Hanna might have been a little too preoccupied to notice Spencer's glossing over of her and Jason's conversation but Aria and Emily weren't as upset as Hanna over Caleb's departure.

'That's all he said to you? What did you ask him to get him to talk?' Aria frowned.

'Nothing, it was a conversational topic.' Spencer replied airily, glancing down at her blank phone screen.

'What kind of weird conversation were you having for him to say that?' Emily asked suspiciously.

'Oh you know, normal my-dad-had-an-affair-with-your-mom stuff.' Spencer said sarcastically.

'You and Jason are weird.' Hanna mumbled.

Spencer rolled her eyes. 'Look guys my mom's texting me do you mind if I take off?'

'But you only got here like 5 minutes ago?' Hanna argued.

'It's already 6 o'clock and Melissa's back tonight-'

'Woah, woah, woah! When we you going to tell us this?' Aria cried.

'What's to tell? She's finished her course and she's probably flying home right now.' Spencer sigh, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

'Why are you in such a rush?' Emily asked.

'I'm not! Its cold outside and I'm getting a headache.' Spencer lied. 'I need to lie down.'

'It's not cold outside, it's May!'

'Emily! Can you stop with the third degree already?'

'Fine. But have you guys had any texts from A recently?' Aria lowered her voice.

'Nope!'

'None.'

'Me either.'

'She must be on a break from torture.' Hanna sigh.

'Hmm. Well, I'd better be off!'

Spencer waved her fingers back at the confused trio and rushed back down Hanna's stairs and straight out of the front door.

She was home in two minutes and feeling quite sick having run the whole way back.

Her mother had started to peel potatoes and chopped carrots. She looked up hopefully when she heard the door but Spencer noticed she seemed disappointed when her youngest daughter.

'Expecting someone else, mom?' Spencer trilled, making her way to the bottom of the stairs.

'What? Oh, no, I thought you might me your father that's all. He must be working late again. Would you help me with the food?' her mother asked.

'I'm feeling a bit sick actually. Maybe I have the flu?' Spencer was telling the truth this time.

'Well, don't come near the stew then. Last thing I need is you spreading illnesses about the place.

Spencer nodded distractedly and jogged up the stairs.

She barely made it to the bathroom before she was spewing her guts out into the sink. Sitting on the edge of the bath, she ran a flannel under cold water and placed on her head. She had just closed her eyes when her phone buzzed in her bag from the floor.

What did they want now? Spencer thought, wondering if she'd left something at Hanna's by accident. Or maybe Toby wanted to meet up. Well she didn't feel like going anywhere tonight.

Reach out for her bag, she dug around inside until she found her phone and what she read made her ready to throw up again.

Unknown Number: I've left you a little present to help you feel better. It's on your pillow! Kisses, – A

Spencer scrambled out of the bathroom and yelled down to her mother.

'Mom! Was anyone at the house while I was gone?'

'No! Why, did you see something?!'

Spencer frowned at her mother's panicked answer. 'No I was just wondering!'

Making her way to her bedroom door, Spencer took a deep breath before pushing it open. Sure enough, there was a parcel tied with red ribbon sitting on her pillow.

She crept into her room, peering around cautiously in case there were any more surprises. When she was satisfied A wasn't hiding under her bed or in the closet, she reached out and opened the parcel. There was a letter and something else wrapped up. It was long and thin. Spencer hoped it wasn't a knife.

She unfolded the letter first.

Poor Spencer! Are you feeling poorly? You will be for the next few months! Congratulations, you and Toby will make lovely parents! Extra kisses for the little one! – A

Spencer cried out and dropped the paper as though it had burned her. If she had felt sick before it was nothing compare to what she felt now. She could hardly breath, the walls were closing in and hot tears were spilling over her eyelids.

She grabbed the package, tearing off the wrapping paper and started to sob when she saw what it was.

In her hand she held a pregnancy test.

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 **Reviews are chocolate chip cookies!**

 **Love and rainbows,**

 **K x**


	2. Bonds Of Blood

**Here's you're next chapter! It's pretty little slow but it has a cliff hanger! Please review if you want more because I have no motivation otherwise! Let me know what you think is going to happen? How will Melissa react? Will Spencer and Toby break up? Will Spencer tell Jason? Please review with any criticism or feedback you have! (oh and Moonlight should be updated by Friday for people asking) - A (no its still just me) :)**

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Bonds Of Blood

OR

The Way The Tables Turn

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Spencer stared at the little pink positive sign for what felt like hours and hours from her position on the bathroom floor. It was past midnight when her mother knocked on the door sharply with her knuckles.

'Spencer? Are you still awake? What are you doing in there?' She called.

Spencer scrambled to her feet, wiping the tears from under her face and shoving the test up her shirt.

'Nothing, I have a stomach bug, that's all!' She called back, unlocking the door and smiling at her mother.

'Have you been crying?' Her mother asked, narrowing her eyes.

'No! I was just … yawning. I'm tired, I'm going to bed. See you in the morning.'

'Wait, Spencer! Don't you want to stay up and see Melissa? She should be back in about half an hour.' Veronica asked hopefully.

'Umm… mom I'm really tired. I'll see her in the morning.' Spencer replied, faking a yawn.

Her mother nodded, seeming downcast. She kissed Spencer on the forehead before starting to go back downstairs.

'Mom?'

'Yes, Spencer?'

'I love you.'

Veronica stopped midway down the stairs and turned to smile at her daughter.

'I love you too, Spencer. And I know you think I don't sometimes, but I do.'

Spencer nodded, eyes filling up with tears again. She turned around quickly to avoid awkward questions and darted into her room. She didn't know what to do with herself. She walked it circles round and round her room for the next half an hour, thinking.

How could this have happened? How could she have been so stupid? She was 17. She had enough on her plate without there being another problem. Spencer slapped her forehead angrily. How could she be referring to a living, breathing human being as 'another problem'? This 'problem' was growing inside of her, just like the anxiety attack she could feel creeping up. She took a deep breath, not feeling at all better. She needed to tell someone. Toby, her mother, Emily, Aria, Hanna. Anyone. But she couldn't bring herself to call downstairs or pick up the phone. It was too late now anyway. Everyone was sleeping. Expect her mother of course, who was awaiting Melissa's return.

What was everyone going to say? Her parents would disown her. Her friends would leave her, people would talk at school. Melissa would act all high-and-mighty, Toby would run at the first sign of danger, and she would become an alcoholic druggie, a single mom living in a cardboard box in an alley somewhere at the age of 17.

Spencer let out a frustrated sob and kicked the leg of her desk in anger. Why did this happen to her? She was so scared she couldn't breathe. She curled up on the floor, stuffing a pillow to her head to stifle the noise.

Closing her eyes and counting to ten, just as they had told her at Radley, her breaths became steadier and the pain in her head lessened. From somewhere in her head, she heard a voice she recognised, growing louder and louder until she realised it was her own.

It was one of her favourite memories, but she had buried it down in her mind and hadn't thought of it for years until now.

She had been five years old and Melissa had been twelve. They had been sitting outside in the garden with their mother on a summer's day, and Spencer had been playing with little dolls and a dollhouse. She had been naming her dolls aloud when Melissa had made a noise of disgust from her sunbed.

 _'_ _George and Sarah and baby Anne! What kinds of names are they?' she scoffed, clambering off of her chair and throwing herself down on the grass beside her. 'I'll name them for you!'_

 _Spencer frowned, standing on her feet she could be taller than her sister. 'No! This is my game and these are my dolls!'_

 _'_ _You have to call them cool names like Brittany or Chelsea!' Melissa argued, snatching the dolls up._

 _'_ _They are rubbish names! My names are way better than them!' Spencer cried, trying to grab them back._

 _'_ _Brittany doesn't even look after her baby! She wants to go out partying!' Melissa cackled, throwing the baby doll over her shoulder carelessly._

 _'_ _Melissa! Don't you tease your sister in such a way! Leave her play with her dolls in peace!' their mother cried, from her spot in the sun._

 _Spencer made a face at Melissa and ran too her mother, clambering onto her lap._

 _'_ _Sorry, mom.' Melissa mumbled, leaving the dolls too and joining them._

 _'_ _A mother must always look after her children.' Veronica told the wide-eyed girls. 'It's her responsibility. Once you have a child, you don't come first anymore. You put your baby first because it's yours and you protect it with your life. I do for you, and when you have children you must do the same.'_

Spencer removed her head from the pillow just in time to hear the front door slam. Melissa was home. Spencer dried her eyes and changed into the comfiest pyjamas she had.

She peered in the mirror, worried her mother would ask her about her weight or something. There didn't seem to be a big difference, so she went into the bathroom, washed her face and brushed her teeth.

'I hope you're comfortable now.' She muttered to her stomach. There wasn't a reply. She hadn't expected one.

Spencer crept down the stairs, watching Melissa and her mother embrace. Melissa was crying, and Spencer felt tears burning her eyes again as she rushed to her sister and threw her arms round her as well.

'I've missed you, Melissa.' She whispered into her sister's hair.

'I've missed you too, Spence.' Melissa choked out.

* * *

That following morning, Spencer woke up early, and the memories of the past day flooding back, resulting in her racing to the bathroom quickly to throw up.

'Spencer, is that you?' Her mother was coming up the stairs.

'Yeah, I've still got that bug mom.' Spencer lied, wiping her mouth.

'Maybe we should take you to the doctors, get you checked up?'

'No!' Spencer cried, 'I mean, I'm feeling better already!'

Veronica narrowed her eyes, and Spencer changed the subject quickly.

'Mom did you stay up all night?'

Her mother's eyes were dark under the rim and she seemed tired and broken. Come to think of it, Spencer hadn't seen her mother asleep in a long while.

'Of course not! I just got up early to make Melissa breakfast. Do you want anything?'

'No I'm fine. Where's dad?' Spencer asked. She hadn't seen her dad in a while either.

'He's, er, in Boston.' Her mother replied.

Spencer nodded, not noticing her mother's hesitation. She dodged past her mother on the stair and curled up on the sofa in her living room. The quiet was nice for one, and Spencer felt herself dozing off from lack of sleep. She dreamt she was babysitting a little girl that looked like Alison, and she'd taken her to the park. Only Toby had called her and when she returned from the call Alison had vanished. She'd looked everywhere, under the benches, behind bushes, but Allison was nowhere to be found. Then she was at a funeral, and Jason was there. She could feel the hate radiating of him, directing at her. But why was he angry with her? Mrs DiLaurentis was there too, holding her hammer, crying. Her mother and Melissa were there, and Toby, Aria, Emily and Hanna. And they were all mad at her. Why? What had she done? She glanced at the headstone. Allison DiLaurentis. A photo of the little girl she'd been babysitting lay next to it and Spencer's blood ran cold. She'd killed the little girl.

Spencer awoke in a panic to the sound of her mother's voice for upstairs.

'Spencer? What was that noise?'

She blinked groggily and peered around. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Toby standing in the kitchen over a smashed tea cup.

'Umm…nothing I dropped something!' Spencer called back, leaping up from her sofa and hitting Toby across the back of his head.

'What the hell are you doing? You scared the crap out of me!' she hissed.

'Sorry. I was going to surprise you!' Toby apologized, helping her clean up the shards of glass. Spencer glared at him.

'By what, watching me in my sleep? This isn't Twilight, Toby, if you do that again I'll punch you!' Spencer snapped, chucking the pieces in the bin.

'I said I was sorry! I haven't seen you in days, I missed you and I didn't want to wake you up.' Toby told her. She felt bad.

'I didn't mean to snap. It's just been a rough few days.' She sigh. Toby pulled her into a hug.

'Did A do something?' he asked worriedly.

Spencer closed her eyes tightly, willing the ground to swallow her up. She took Toby's hand and led him to the sofa, sitting him opposite from her.

'No. I did something.' She said, blinking back tears again.

'Spence, are you ok? Whatever you did, we'll get through it. It's not going to last forever.' Toby reassured her, only making her feel ten times worse, looking at his earnest face.

'Toby I need to tell you something.' Spencer began, but before she could say another word, Melissa came rushing down the stairs in her pyjamas.

'For god's sake Spence, turn off your phone! It's driving me crazy!' she cried, tossing Spencer's phone next to her and storming back up the stairs.

'Who's texted you?' Toby asked, looking pointedly at her phone.

'It's probably just Aria or Hanna.' Spencer lied, peering down at the screen. It was a blocked number. Spencer angled her phone from Toby's view and opened it up nervously.

Unknown Number: SINGLE MOM! He says he's working away, but maybe he's playing away! – A. Attachment Image.

Spencer open up the image, a sick feeling rising in her stomach. It was of Toby, outside some coffee shop she didn't recognise, with a blonde. He was laughing and touching her arm.

'Spence? Who was it?' Toby asked.

'What?' Spencer blinked at him, forgetting her previous conversation with him.

'Who texted you?' Toby asked her concernedly.

'Oh, it was Aria. Just girl stuff, you know. Well, I think I'm gonna go take a nap! You should probably get back to work or something.' Spencer said hurriedly, standing up.

'Spence it's 7:30 in the morning. You just got up and I've just got back from work.' Toby frowned.

'Oh well, I stayed up last night, I'm really tired.' Spencer told him, striding to the back door and opening it for him.

'Oh. I see. Weren't you going to tell me something important?' Toby reminded her as he walked out of the door.

'Nope, nothing to important, it can wait!' Spencer called, slamming the door shut quickly.

She sank down on the other side of it, clutching at her hair and trying to hold in her sobs.

It was fine. There would be some innocent explanation for it all. He'd been helping her carry a box or something. He knew her as a family member. This was A after all. Spencer couldn't trust this photo at all. So why had she basically thrown Toby out? Did she trust him? Of course she did, she loved him. Why had she reacted that way? Hormones? Spencer's head hurt thinking about it all. She took a few deep breaths to clear her head and stood up, flushing at how badly she'd handled the situation and headed upstairs to lie in and get some rest.

She stared around her room restlessly, too hyped to sleep and too tired to dress. She sat at her desk, doodling on a pad absentmindedly, until she gazed out of the window and saw the shed in the DiLaurentis garden. She remembered Jason's note. Spencer needed someone to talk to, and it wasn't going to be her mother or her sister. Her father was away and she didn't talk to him when he was there anyway. When she was little she'd longed for a big brother to hold her up on his shoulders so she could see or go on rides with her at the fun fair. Now she had one. She knew she could trust Jason.

She grabbed tights and a skirt from her draw, shoving on boots and forgetting to change her pyjama top in the hurry. She snatched her bag from her bed and shoved in her phone, keys, the pregnancy test and Jason's note into it, rushing onto the landing and bumping into Melissa.

'Spencer, where are you going?' she asked suspiciously.

'Out to Emily's, why?' Spencer told her.

'Have you… have you seen dad at all lately?' Melissa faced changed to an expression of worry and Spencer realised she wasn't the only one who was worried about where he father was. But that was another problem for another day.

'Look, Melissa I'm in a rush, I'll talk to you later!' Spencer tried to push past Melissa but her older sister grabbed her arm.

'Spence, you're still wearing your pyjama top! Why are you going to Emily's at this time in the morning? Are you going to see Toby?' Melissa questioned, snatching Spencer's bag and accidently tipping everything onto the floor.

'Melissa!' Spencer shrieked in panic as her sister gazed at the contents in horror.

Melissa looked back and forth from the test to Spencer, who had covered her face and started to sob.

'Oh my god, Spencer. Tell me this is a sick joke.'

* * *

 **Reviews are rainy movie weekends!**

 **Love and rainbows,**

 **K x**


	3. Fun And Games

**This chapter has a cliff hanger and a big clue! Good luck figuring out what it is! Review with your ideas and feedback, I need motivation to write more! - A (yeah its me, you should know this by now)**

* * *

Fun And Games

OR

Riddles Of The Night

* * *

'Please don't tell mom, Melissa!' Spencer sobbed, clutching Melissa's arms so she couldn't move.

'Spencer, you're scaring me. Stop it, you have to be joking!' Melissa hissed, unable to believe her sister would have done something so stupid. She shook herself out of Spencer's grasp and gaped at her sister in disgust. 'Spencer, this isn't funny! Where did you get the test from?'

'Melissa please, you'll wake up mom!' Spencer whimpered, running her hands through her hair.

'Oh my god. This… this isn't a joke?' Melissa's perplexed expression turned to one of horror as she realised her younger sister was practically hyperventilating. 'You're…you're actually…'

'Don't say it!' Spencer pleaded, with another nod at her mother's bedroom door. Melissa shook her head, eyes still wide with shock. She beckoned Spencer to follow Melissa to her room silently.

Spencer contemplated turning around, making a run for it down the stairs and never coming back. She could take out some money, drive to New York and start a new life. Yes, right, Spencer, her new-born baby and the tortures of A. It sounded like a very bad novel. She crept into Melissa's room after her reluctantly and closed the door shut with caution.

'Spencer! How could you be so careless?' Melissa hissed as soon as she turned back around. 'You could have gone to college, you could have had an amazing career! You've ruined everything!'

Spencer didn't say anything. She hadn't expected Melissa to be sympathetic, the Hastings hadn't been brought up like that. They were taught to be honest, and Spencer felt that this was the least she deserved.

'What's wrong with you? Mom and Dad are going to kill you! Do you even care?' Melissa asked, waving a hand rudely in front of Spencer's face. Spencer still didn't retaliate, sniffing miserably.

'Are you drunk?' Melissa questioned suddenly, moving closer to Spencer.

'What? No!' Spencer snapped, pushing Melissa's hand away. 'You can't drink if you're pregnant!'

'At least one of your brain cells are working then!' Melissa sneered back. 'Too bad they weren't when it happened, hmm?'

'Oh shut up Melissa! It's not a secret you've had your fair share!' Spencer retorted, tired of Melissa's remarks already.

'What is that supposed to mean? That I'm a widow who lost her baby? Let's take a guess whose fault that was!' Melissa cried.

'Don't turn that around on me! The guy was a psychopath, you were just too dull to figure it out!' Spencer hissed back.

'Oh of course, I'm the dull one! Well, Miss-High-and-Mighty, you're IQ won't count for much now! You can't go into work with a baby on one hip!' Melissa spat.

'At least I won't have to live with being fired!' Spencer shrieked.

Melissa closed her mouth on what she had been about to say, eyes narrowing. Spencer felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had done it know. Melissa would be so angry she'd tell their mother before Spencer even had a chance to break the news gently herself. There was an awkward silence as both girls blinked a couple of times. Finally Melissa opened her mouth.

'I'm sorry for what I said. About you ruining your life. I didn't mean it.'

Now it was Spencer's turn to be shocked. She had expected Melissa to rip out her hair or at least scream at her. Watching Melissa in disbelieve, she apologised slowly too.

'I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to say that either.'

Melissa nodded awkwardly. 'Spencer, how did you know?' she asked suddenly.

'How did I know what?' Spencer asked confusedly.

'That I was fired. Did dad tell you? You said you hadn't seen him.' Melissa narrowed her eyes again, and Spencer sensed another fight brewing.

'No, mom told me. She didn't want to, it was just me prying as usual. I'm sorry, Melissa.' Spencer tried to smile at her sister but it wasn't returned.

'Mom told you?' Melissa asked, puzzled.

'Yes. Why?' Spencer started to feel scared.

'I haven't told mom yet…'

There was a silence as both girls stared at each other in confusion. If Melissa hadn't even told her mother yet, how had Veronica told Spencer?

'Melissa I swear she told me! I haven't seen Dad around here for weeks! Maybe even a month!' Spencer told Melissa earnestly.

'It's ok. I believe you. It's Mom I'm suspicious about. Maybe she phoned up my work and they told her?' Melissa suggested hopefully, but deep down she knew that there was something more sinister going on. There always was in Rosewood.

'Well Dad couldn't have told her, he's in Boston. Plus they don't seem on very good terms.' Spencer told her sister.

'Boston? Dad's not in Boston! Who told you that?' Melissa asked.

Spencer sigh, realising her mother had been lying. 'Who do you think?'

* * *

Spencer left Melissa's bedroom feeling worse than she had entering it, something she hadn't deemed possible before. She picked up her phone to call Toby, dialling half of the number until she remember A's picture. Sighing, she put her phone down.

Instead she hurried downstairs and made herself some toast, re-reading Jason's note as she did so. It all seemed very suspicious to her. Why was Jason practically living in the shed of his house? What was so wrong with Mrs DiLaurentis that Jason could stay in the same building as her? Though, she would be that keen on living with a woman who carried a hammer around the house with her, to be honest. Still, he couldn't be scared of his own mother could he? And if so, why didn't he just move out? It hurt Spencer's brain to think about it all.

She was just putting her plate in the sink when her phone buzzed on the table.

Toby: Hey Spencer, are you sure you're ok? Can you meet me at the Grille tonight, at six? Thanks x

Spencer sigh, wondering what to do. She had to tell Toby sometime, even if he didn't want the baby. It was his and he had to know.

Spencer: Yeah, I need to talk to you, I'll be there.

She checked the clock. It was half past twelve and her mother was still in bed. Melissa was upstairs too, probably gone back to sleep from her long flight. Maybe she would go and talk to Jason. Not about her problem, but ask about him. Maybe it could be a clue to A's next plans or another piece of the puzzle of Ali's murder. Mrs DiLaurentis was sure acting suspicious enough.

She jogged back upstairs to change her pyjama top, finding her cosy brown sweater and shrugging it on. Gazing around her room, she made sure everything was in order, even peering over to Jason's house, where everything seemed to be calm. Maybe they were asleep. She pondered on whether to go, not wanting to intrude. Until she saw a shadow in the shed out of the corner of her eye. She grabbed her bag, her keys and her phone, throwing Jason's note in there too.

She had just make it to the landing when Melissa stuck her head out of her bedroom door. She looked as though she had been crying, but Spencer stayed quiet, knowing Melissa wouldn't like it if she asked.

'Where are you going now?' Melissa asked.

'To see Jason.' Spencer replied, deciding there was no point in lying. Melissa didn't see a point in arguing either, but she did roll her eyes. She was determined to have nothing to do with Jason.

Spencer turned to leave but Melissa hissed after her.

'Spencer, you should be careful where you leave the pregnancy test if you don't want Mom to find out!'

Spencer thought about where she'd hidden it, in the stuffing of her mattress. It seemed very careful to her. 'I was. Why?'

'Well, leaving it on top of your dressing table is a very stupid move. What if Mom had gone in there to clean?' Melissa warned her.

Spencer's blood ran cold. She sped back up the stairs, bursting into her room and running to the dressing table. There was no test. Wondering if Melissa was joking around with her, she dropped to knees and stuck her hand into the hole in the mattress where she'd hidden the test an hour ago. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed the hole was much bigger than before, slit in a straight line with an object that could only be a knife. She felt around frantically until her hand closed around something and she yanked it out hopefully.

It was a scroll of paper, tied with the same red ribbon in which she'd received the test in the first place. It was as Spencer had suspected, A had decided to meddle even further. She opened up the scroll in dread.

 _I know you love a good game of hide and seek Spencer, so I've taken the game to the next level. Find what you're looking for within two days and I'll let you break the news to everyone yourself. If you fail, Toby and your parents will find out from me. In the most humiliating way possible. Remember, it could be anywhere in Rosewood! Just every secret space in calm areas! Happy Hunting! – A._

Spencer gasped. Inside was a little stopwatch. As soon as she finished the letter it beeped and the numbers started counting down.

Forty eight hours.

* * *

 **Reviews are Harry Potter marathons!**

 **Love and rainbows,**

 **K x**


	4. Weight Of The World

**Dun dun dun!** **What is A talking about now? Any ideas? Will Spencer be able to tell her family herself? Or will someone do it for her? Review with your ideas and feedback! - A (you should know its me by now)**

* * *

Weight Of The World

OR

Leading Of Many

* * *

Spencer rapped her knuckles on Aria's front door wildly, not stopping until Ella Montgomery opened the door, frowning at the racket she was making.

'Spencer!' She started, 'Are you ok?'

'I need to talk to Aria.' Spencer interrupted, not even looking at Ella properly.

'She upstairs with Emily and Paige. Is something wrong? You look like you've been crying.' Ella reached out to touch Spencer's arm but she flinched away, pushing past her and heading upstairs to Aria's room.

She was sitting on the floor, talking to Paige and Emily in hushed voices.

'… I don't know, something bad no doubt…'

'Should we say anything to her?'

'Maybe A already has…'

The conversation was cut short when Spencer decided she'd over heard enough and burst into the room.

'I need you to help me.' She said shortly, not bother to ask what they we talking about.

Emily and Paige shot to their feet quickly, looking guilty, and Aria jumped as though she had been electrified.

'God, Spencer you scared the hell out of us!' She cried, clambering to her feet to and closing to door so they wouldn't be over heard.

'What is it?' Paige asked worriedly. 'Did A do something?'

Spencer glared at Paige. They had never got on very well, but time was running out and it would take hours for Spencer to explain the real situation to Aria and Emily the way she would have liked.

'A has stolen something from me. It's very important, like life or death important and I have forty seven and a half hours to find it. I need your help.'

'I'll text Hanna!' Emily replied straight away and Spencer felt her eyes filling up with tears at how understanding her friends were.

'Don't worry, Spence. We'll find it!' Aria promised, hugging Spencer tight as Paige nodded in the background.

Spencer swallowed her tears and took a deep breath, pulling A's note out of her pocket.

'A sent this along with a timer. We need to find it fast or…' Spencer couldn't continue, her throat dry.

'Spencer, do you want to, umm, tell us what A stole?' Emily asked quietly, after the three girls had poured over Spencer's note.

'I'm not ready yet. I'm sorry.' Spencer shook her head.

'It's ok, we don't want to pry. But if it's this important we need to start looking right away!' Aria warned the others.

'Ok, shall we start in the most obvious place; your house?' Paige suggested calmly.

Spencer shook her head again. 'I looked everywhere in my house before I came here. A could have taken it back to their lair for all we know!'

'Let's not panic or jump to conclusions! We'll narrow it down, that'll save us time.' Emily said, grabbing one of Aria's note pads and writing the words 'Spencer's House' in pen, crossing it off straight away.

'Ok, where else?' Aria mumbled thoughtfully.

'The Brew?' Paige suggested.

'This house?'

'Toby's?'

'The barn?'

'Hanna's?'

'Emily's?'

'Paige's?'

'Mona's?'

'The church?'

'The school?'

'We're never going to find it in time!' Spencer cried, sinking to the floor in tears.

'Look, Spence, I promise we'll find it!' Aria said fiercely. 'We'll split up, you and I will look here and Paige and Emily can get Hanna and look at her house and we'll meet at the Brew to check there. Then we'll go to Emily's and Paige's, look around Mona's, Toby's and go to the barn, the church and the school!'

'I think we can rule out our houses.' Paige said suddenly.

The others turned to her confusedly. 'Why?'

'Well, this is A, right? And I mean, whoever it is has never made this easy on any of you. So putting it in one of houses is not an A move. Hiding it in the school, the church, the Brew or the barn is our best guess I think.' Paige explained.

'Ok, new plan! Hanna is at the church with her mom and Ted now. Aria can go meet her and look around. Spencer, Paige and I can look around the barn and we'll meet outside the school in two hours!' Emily suggested.

'Let's go!'

* * *

Spencer sobbed as the girls ran madly around the bushes outside the school, trying to find an open window. They had had no luck at the church or the barn, and even the Brew was clear of Spencer's missing possession. The school was their last hope, and Spencer was losing all faith in ever retrieving the test. What evil way could A have cooked up to break the new to her family and friends? It was bound to be to awful for Spencer to have even dreamt of it, and she was become hysterical with over thinking.

'Spencer please calm down!' Hanna called, hugging her frantic friend helplessly.

'God Hanna could you be at least a little sympathetic!' Spencer cried, wiping at her eyes furiously.

'I'm trying to help! If you keep crying like that people will notice us! Which is not helpful when you're trying to break into a freaking school!' Hanna snapped, giving the wall a frustrated kick.

'Wait…' Aria muttered suddenly.

'What, what is it?'

'There is a vent here…one of us could fit in and unlock the back door for the others!' Aria whispered excitedly.

'Ok, ok, umm… who's the skinniest?' Emily asked the five girls.

There was a very expectant pause.

'Well, Spencer.' Hanna mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck.

Spencer snapped. 'I'm not going in there!'

'I will!' Paige huffed, forcing open the vent and crawling in head first.

Emily turned on the flashlight of her phone and made sure Paige could see. As her legs disappeared, Aria turned to Spencer, rapping her arms around her sniffling friend and holding her tight. Hanna grabbed onto them both and Emily soon joined the hug, so all four of them were squashed together. They waited for a few minutes, glad to be in each other's company, until Spencer broke apart from the other three.

'We should wait by the back entrance for Paige.' She muttered. The others nodded, peering over their shoulders to check they weren't being followed.

Paige herself was still crawling through the vents, feeling glad there was enough space for her to be relatively comfortable with all the twists and turns. She carried on for a while until she'd lost track of where she'd come from and eventually found another grid, which seemed to be leading into one of the art rooms. She was just about to busted it open when she noticed a noise coming from somewhere in the class to the right.

She could hardly see but it sounded like someone else was in the school, moving things around. Paige felt chills running up her spine. A didn't know the girls were there, did they? Who was she kidding, A knew everything. Paige kept quiet, hoping the person hadn't seen her. It seemed they were too busy with what they were doing to notice her crouched in the vents. If they found her at least she would have the element of surprise.

The figure went into one of the cupboards and took out of a can of paint, red it seemed to Paige. They grabbed a brush from a nearby pot and fled the room. Paige waited a tense few minutes before careful clambering out of the vent and checking the person had gone from the corridor. They were nowhere to be seen.

'What the hell took you so long?' Aria snapped as soon as Paige opened the back entrance to reveal four shivering girls with glares on their faces. Paige didn't say anything. She was shaking herself, though not from the cold.

'Are you ok? You seem scared?' Emily asked, concerned. 'Did something happen?'

Paige told the girls what she had saw in a hushed voice, eyes still darting around for the shadowy figures return.

'Oh my god!' Emily gasped when Paige and finished, pulling her girlfriend into a tight embrace. 'You must have been terrified!'

The other girls weren't quite as sympathetic as Emily.

'If A is here we must be in the right place!' Spencer hissed, pushing past the hugging girls and stalking down the corridor.

'Spencer wait!' Hanna grabbed her friends arm. 'You can just go barging in there! Who knows what A has got planned? I mean, red paint? That doesn't sound good!'

'Hanna, we have two days to get this back and I'm not wasting a second!'

'Spencer, please wait!'

The others nodded, but Spencer was too desperate to listen. She shook her arm free and disappeared down the stairs to the art room, the rest of the girls hurrying nervously after her. It was nearing 6 o'clock now, and the school wasn't light, so it was eerily dim. There seemed to be a shadow waiting at every corner and noises that would have had a second thought in school time where making them jump in fright. Spencer was always a corridor ahead of them, and they began to worry they would lose her if they didn't hurry up, which result in them all sprinting down the hallways until they reached their destination.

'Where are they?' Spencer snapped in frustration, when they found the now empty classroom Paige had climbed into. No one answered, feeling unnerved by the silence absorbing the school.

'Ok, let's split up again, it'll be faster.' Aria suggested.

'I'll go with Paige and you three go look upstairs. Just…scream if anything goes wrong.' Emily told the girls, grabbing Paige's arm and hurrying off into the darkness.

'Come on…' Hanna muttered, leading the other two the opposite way.

They rushed down the corridors, peering into every classroom for A, hearts in their throats at the thought of catching a glimpse of a black hood. Every turn was followed by a sigh of disappointment laced with relief, clutching hold of each other at any noise, praying this would all be over soon. They occasionally thought they spotted a figure, in the corner of their eye, but it turned out to be a tree's shadow, or one of the others. After being scared by shadows and dogs barking for five minutes, they grabbed a hockey stick each from the Gym and continued their search more surely of themselves.

'Spence, what does A have on you that you're this scared of?' Aria asked worriedly, seeing Spencer gripped her stick so tightly her knuckles went white.

'Nothing, can we keep on looking?' Spencer answered disinterestedly.

'It can be nothing, we've searched half of Rosewood for it? Could you go to jail for it? Will it hurt your mom or Toby? Spence, we're worried!' Hanna told her friend earnestly, pulling her arm so she had to face them.

'Look, this isn't twenty questions, this is my life! And it could be over in 41 hours if you don't freaking help me!' Spencer snapped, storming down the corridor.

Aria and Hanna exchanged worried glances before chasing after her.

'I feel like we've been running around after her too many times today…' Hanna muttered to Aria, who nodded.

'Guys?!' Spencer cried from inside one of the science classrooms. 'Can you help me with something?'

'What's wrong?' Her friends hurried to her aid, finding her standing underneath a cupboard.

'I haven't seen this box before, help me get it down!'

Aria grabbed a table, pushing it across the floor to lean against the cupboard. Spencer hauled herself up onto it and snatched the box of the top quickly. All three girls leaned in expectantly as Hanna lifted off the lid anxiously.

'It's just a box of worksheets!' Hanna retorted, running her hands through her hair, frustrated.

Spencer swore at the top of her voice, kicking the leg of the table.

'Wait you guys! There's something written in red here!' Aria hissed, picking up a sheet and showing it to the others.

 _Paige and Emily are getting close! Hopefully not too close, we wouldn't want a death on our hands, now, would we? – A_

As soon as they finished reading, they heard a chilling scream.

'Quick, it's coming from the canteen!' Spencer cried, dragging Aria and Hanna to their left.

They raced down the stair, jumping down them two at a time in their hurry to get to Emily and Paige. The canteen doors were wide open, and the temperate seemed to drop as soon as the girls ran in. Emily was standing with her hands over her mouth staring at the far wall, Paige doing the same. Both of them had a disgusted look on their faces.

'What, what is it?' Spencer shouted, a sick feeling swooping up in her stomach.

Emily raised a shaking hand and pointed ahead of her.

There, written on the wall in red paint was another message.

 _You're missing something. Reread the note. I'm still scheming! – A_

* * *

 **Reviews are the fact Richard Ayoade exists!**

 **Love and rainbows,**

 **K x**


	5. A Girls' Best Friend

'Guys this is really creeping me out now!' Hanna whispered, face illuminated by the moonlight.

It was quarter to three on the next Tuesday morning and Emily, Hanna, Aria and Spencer were sitting in a Spencer's barn, pouring over A's notes. When Paige had gone to Texas to visit her Aunt with her mom on Saturday night, they had searched all of Sunday for another clue, staying up all night, but it was hopeless. They had returned to their homes with A's message taunting them every step of the way, and got dressed straight for school. Sleeping through all their lessons – well as much as they could – they had then gone straight back to searching, and ended the day by going into the barn unseen by Melissa and Spencer's mom and studying A's note for this supposed clue.

'Can we please just go up to your bedroom?' Aria asked, pulling her blanket more securely around her shoulders.

'No, look I told my mom I was in Hanna's house! We already wasted enough time in school yesterday, and we have 4 freaking hours to stop my life from being ruined!' Spencer pleaded, snatching up A's first note about this 'game' and rereading it frantically.

'What if your mom phones my mom and asks if you're ok?' Hanna pointed out. 'We shouldn't be up this late – or early, I guess – on a school night!'

'Look, I think we should help Spencer now. She's right, we have 4 hours. Whatever A's going to do then is much worse than a scolding from our parents!' Emily sigh, looking over Spencer's shoulder at A's note.

The other two nodded in shame, leaning in closer.

'It's that one line that's really bothering me!' Spencer groaned, running a hand through her hair worriedly.

'What one?' Aria asked.

' _Just every secret space in calm areas_ ' Spencer pointed to the line. 'It seems unnecessary, and it doesn't really make sense!'

'No, it doesn't. Maybe A left us some kind of clue again…' Hanna suggested.

'You know, I'm really confused about this new A. I mean, Mona was ruthless, but this A is leaving us help clues right left and centre!' Emily puzzled.

'I know, maybe this is a trap, guys… A's never been our caring little helper before. They're probably building us up to knock us down again!' Aria replied angrily.

'I'll write the sentence in my note book, it might help.' Emily sigh, pulling out her pen.

'Oh yeah, writing out again, then a magic flashing sign will appear over the object. I can see it now 'it's here bitches, walk past the sleeping dragon playing a trumpet to get it' this is ridiculous!' Hanna snapped.

Emily chose to ignore her. 'There's no more room in my book.' She told Spencer.

'Just write it down the margin, it doesn't have to look neat.' Spencer answered tiredly.

Emily did as she said, stifling a yawn as she did so.

'What should we do now?' Aria asked.

'Let's go over the places we've checked!' Hanna proposed.

'Guys…' Emily whispered.

'Ok, umm, the brew, our houses, the school…' Aria counted on her fingers

'Guys, wait…' Emily tried again.

'The church, the loft, this barn…' Spencer carried on.

'Guys I found something!' Emily cried waving her note book in front of Aria's nose.

'What?' Spencer gasped, rushing to Emily's side.

'This sentence, when you look at the first letter of each word, spell out JESSICA…' Emily told the other three, whose faces dropped in horror.

'Oh my god… it's in Mrs Dilaurentis's house!' Spencer whispered.

* * *

'We should have known A had put us in the worst position possible!' Spencer shook her head as they stood outside Ali's house in the dark.

The wind was whipping their hair around their faces forcefully, the formally warm day seemingly disappeared long ago. The street was empty, eerily silent for the four girls bunched together in front of the large sleeping house.

'How are we supposed to get into this house and search it at half three in the morning?' Hanna hissed, shivering at the cold.

'Well, we can hardly knock on the door. This is ridiculous! It's game over for us now!' Aria sigh, making to turn around, but Emily grabbed her arm.

'We could… break a window or something?' She suggested despairingly.

'What and pay another visit to Rosewood PD? Probably a jail cell too? Em, come on!' Hanna rolled her eyes. 'I know this is desperate times but seriously!'

'So, what to you propose to do about it?' Emily snapped. 'Got any bright ideas yourself, Hanna?'

Hanna stayed silent this time, though a glare was prominent on her features. They stood in silence for a few minutes, wondering how on earth they were going to get out of _this_ mess. A had well and truly stumped them this time.

'Look, Jason is your half-brother, Spence, can't you call him and explain?' Aria asked.

'And say what? Hey big bro, sorry to call you at three in the morning but I need to search your house for a pregnancy test!'

Spencer realised what she'd said seconds after the words left her mouth. There was a slightly stunned pause as the other realised what she had said.

'Why would you be looking for pregnancy test?' Hanna asked, having already guessed the answer.

'Please tell me it's Melissa who got herself knocked up again…' Aria warned.

'Oh my god, Spence…' Emily's face matched the look of concern that Aria and Hanna were wearing as they engulfed their teary friend in a warm hug.

'I'm sorry.' Spencer choked out.

'You don't have to be sorry! Just… more careful?' Hanna joked, but her smile faltered as she thought of how Spencer must be feeling.

'It's all gonna be ok Spencer. We'll get it back, I promise!' Aria stroked Spencer's tangled hair soothingly, but her friend didn't seem to take comfort in the girl's gestures.

'Have you told Toby?' Emily asked hesitantly.

' _Is_ it Toby's?' Hanna questioned, raising an eyebrows.

'No it's Noel Kahn's!' Spencer snapped sarcastically. 'And that was a joke for any confused!' she added.

'Just checking!' Hanna apologised.

Spencer turned back to Emily in relation to her previous question.

'No. I'm too scared. And A was messing things up as usual.' She sigh, wiping some stray tears away.

'Why, what happened?' Aria asked.

'Well, there was this photo that was sent to my phone, of him with another girl. He won't tell me who she is or what he was doing with her. He asked me to meet him at the Grille the day I came to yours about looking for the test. Well of course we were so busy searching the school, I forgot. We had a big argument about it the next day. He's gone to a job somewhere, I heard. I don't know where exactly.' Spencer sniffed.

'Don't worry, he'll come round!' Hanna reassured her.

'Ok, look here's what we're going to do. We'll just have to tell your parents and Toby before A has the chance. We'll never get the test back now, we might as well beat A at their own game. Agreed?' Aria put forward.

'Yep, that sounds sensible!' Emily nodded.

Hanna shrugged, squeezing Spencer's arm supportively.

'No, please Aria I can't do it!' Spencer pleaded, grabbing hold of Aria coat as her and Emily turned to leave.

'Spencer, if A gets their way, you don't know what they plan to do! If we leave now, call Toby, get your mom and explain you could start this off better than A hopes!' Emily pointed out, but Spencer wouldn't listen, tugging furiously on Aria's coat.

'Look, Spence, if you can find us a way to get in that house in under 10 minutes, we'll stay, but we're calling you're mom and Toby in half an hour if not!' Hanna decided. 'I'm not doing this to be mean or hurt you! You need to do something before A does it for you!'

'I'll get us in!' Spencer promised.

She dropped Aria's arm and began to pace the street thoughtfully, racking her brain for any excuse she could use for waking up Mrs DiLaurentis at this time. Or why she was even out of bed. As she turned for the third time, she felt something crackle in her pocket. Jason's note!

'I know how to get in!' she cried, rushing back down the pavement to her house.

'Spencer wait!' Aria yelled as the others tore after her.

Spencer ran down the side of her house to her back garden where she stood in the middle, looking something. She span round in circles, scanning the fence wildly.

'Spencer, what are you doing?' Hanna hissed. 'Has she gone mad?'

'Jason said I could talk to him any time, through the gap in the fence right… here!' Spencer ran her hand over gap, crouched on the floor as the girls followed.

She stuck her hand through the gap until she felt the wood of the shed wall and knocked three times sharply, just as Jason had said. Well, wrote. Almost immediately, the wood started to move, as though someone was pulling away a part of the wall. As the plank was removed, Jason's face became visible to the four girls.

'I don't normally get this many visitors. Something wrong?' he asked, eyes widening at the stricken looks on all of their faces. Spencer got straight to the point, not wanting to waste another second of their valuable time.

'Jason. I need to get into your house. Right now.'


	6. Closed Doors

**Bonjour! This chapter is a bit more exciting than the last one! I didn't get many reviews for Chapter 5 so I don't know if you found it boring or too short? Please let me know with feedback because I love reading your reviews and your theories! What is Peter Hastings doing in the DiLaurentis garden? What made Aria scream? Will Mrs D find the girls? What has Spencer found in the utensils drawer? Review with your ideas! It's getting exciting now! Toby and Momma Hastings are finding out soon! But will A or Spencer be the bearer of bad news? - A (a's taking a break from tormenting peoples lives so its just me)**

* * *

'So what exactly are we looking for?' Jason asked.

The five of them were standing in the kitchen of Ali's house, their faces alight by a bunch of candles Jason had resourcefully lit so as not to wake up the sleeping Mrs DiLaurentis. Emily was wandering around, reminiscing the times her and Ali had sat at the table and chatted for hours on end, or raided the fridge at midnight during sleepovers. Her back was turned from the others, hiding any tears that might escape from her eyes. Hanna was sitting at the table, still mulling over Spencer's problem. What her mother say if she'd come home pregnant? A single mom looking after her daughter and granddaughter. Hanna couldn't have bared to look her mother in the eye. As she tapped her fingers on the table absentmindedly, she vowed to help Spencer with this in any way she could.

'Something I lost.' Spencer lied, replying to Jason question after a painful pause.

Aria shifted uncomfortably from where she was perched next to Jason, on the counter. She could help but worry about Mrs DiLaurentis waking up. She knew the women had never been the kind, caring mother that hers was, even when Ali was alive, but since her daughter had been missing, Mrs DiLaurentis had been giving Aria nightmares. She couldn't understand how Spencer could bare living across from her. What on earth would she do if the damaged woman came downstairs and found them all gathered in the kitchen? Aria caught Jason eye, and she looked away, embarrassed he could tell what she was thinking.

'And you think it's in my house?' Jason repeated, suspicious of the girls.

'Look, Jason, I'll tell you what it is when we find it. But we're wasting precious time and my patience!' Spencer hissed, starting to pull open drawers and searching them. As she flung open the utensils cupboard, expecting to find knives and forks, out flooded a stack of papers.

'Jason, what's this?' Spencer asked, picking up a sheet that caught her eye.

'Nothing! Spencer, I'll help you look for whatever it is you've lost, just please put them back!' Jason snatched the paper from Spencer and shoved it back in the drawer.

'Jason, why do you have-' Spencer started, but Jason silenced her with an expression.

'I'll talk to you about it later. Where do you think you've lost this thing?' Jason asked, looking at Spencer pleadingly as the other three looked between them bewilderedly.

Spencer was silent for a long while, glaring at Jason. She swallowed eventually and replied.

'Anywhere Ali used to hide stuff. Do you know any lose floorboards or sliding panels or anything?' Spencer asked.

'Umm… well, she was always hiding things behind here.' Jason told the four girls, opening the cupboard space under the boiler and pointing to a tiny hole in the wood, no bigger than the tip of a finger.

'How did she get things in there?' Hanna asked apprehensively, 'It's tiny!'

'Not tiny enough to stop Spencer's…missing possession from sliding in.' Aria pointed out.

Jason waited for a moment to see if anyone was going to tell him what Spencer's 'missing possession' was, but Aria was checking the time on her watch, Spencer was absorbed in the tiny hole, Hanna's gaze was fixed on a red coffee mug that had been left on the table and Emily was fixated on a photo of Ali and Cece.

It was sitting on one of the shelves on the cream walls, right in the middle, in front of all the others. Even the ones of a baby Ali and Jason playing in the park and a younger Mr and Mrs DiLaurentis on their wedding day. All the school photos, with Ali's smile radiating out of them were pushed back, photos of Jason with Kenneth fishing and them all on holidays together, shunted behind this large photo of Ali and Cece.

'I think Alison must have opened it up more than this. It must be a loose plank or something, but the ceiling is too low for me to climb in the back and see.' Jason told them.

'Well, who's the shortest?' Spencer asked pointedly, staring at Aria.

'Not me!' Hanna raised her eyebrows, her gaze falling on Aria too, who huffed, crossing her arms.

'You guys are mean!' she snapped, stepping into the cupboard and crouching down a little.

'Can you see anything?' Spencer asked desperately, realising that they only had an hour and a half until time was up.

'No, it's too dark! I can't even see my own hand in front of my face!' Aria hissed. 'Guys, I'm scared!'

'Calm down, there's a cord in the back somewhere I think. Pull on it and the light should come on.' Jason told her calmly, trying to find a torch in one of the drawers quietly.

'How am I supposed to see it, Jason?' Aria retorted, as she disappeared even further back until they could only see her legs, as she was on all fours from the slope in the ceiling.

'I'm looking for a torch!' Jason hissed back, rummaging around amongst dead batteries and old coins.

'Aria, just feel around!' Hanna told her panicking friend. 'If you touch something that feels like a cord, pull on it!'

'But what if it's a snake or something?' Aria troubled.

'Why would there be a snake in the cupboard under my boiler?' Jason asked, confused.

'No reason!' Aria backtracked quickly, 'Just, exploring all possibilities!'

'Well stop and hurry up!' Spencer replied tiredly.

'Ok, ok!' Aria mumbled.

'Emily are you helping or what?' Hanna asked, turning to look at Emily who was still studying the photo.

'Hmm.' She replied disinterestedly.

'Em, we're running out of time! You can stare obsessively at photos of Ali any other day!' Spencer snapped untactfully.

Emily glared at Spencer, dragging her eyes away from the photo. 'So exactly what do you need me to do? Cheerlead from the side lines?'

Spencer returned Emily's glare and handed her the torch Jason had just fished out of the cabinet.

'Can you see anything, Aria?' Hanna asked impatiently.

'Umm, I think I can feel the cord!' Aria called back excitedly.

'Pull it!' Aria didn't need a signal from Spencer, she yanked on the string as hard as she could.

There was a loud bang as Jason and the three girls cried out in shock and Aria's muffled scream sounded as a cloud of dust floated up from the cupboard entrance. As Hanna, Emily and Spencer crowded the door, looking to see if Aria was ok, Jason put a finger to his lips and raised his eyes to glance at the ceiling. A dirt covered Aria appeared in the entrance, as the other three girls waited in a worried silence to see if the commotion had awoken Mrs DiLaurentis. There was a small noise from the floor above and Jason's eyes widened in fear, motioning for the three girls to climb in the cupboard with Aria.

'Jason, we can't all fit!' Emily hissed as footsteps sounded from the stair case.

'Get in, quickly!' Jason shushed, starting to push Spencer in through the hole, resulting in her and Aria being tangled in a mess.

'Be careful with her!' Hanna snapped worriedly, but she too was being shoved by Jason before she could finish, causing the last words of her sentence becoming rather loud swearing. Emily was next, though she managed to clamber in without Jason help, thanks to her fear of being discovered the only girl hanging out of one the cupboards by Mrs DiLaurentis. Just as Jason slammed the door shut, Mrs DiLaurentis wandered into the room.

The four girls could barely breathe for lack of space. Aria's arm was stuck under Hanna's thigh, Spencer's head was squashed between Emily and Hanna's shoulders and Emily leg was jammed painfully against the wall, making her clamp her teeth down on her hand to stop herself from crying out in pain. Aria was still half crying from the shock of whatever had happened when she pulled the cord. It certainly hadn't turned the lights on, the girls couldn't see a thing. And with Mrs DiLaurentis looming five feet away, Aria couldn't tell the girls what had made her scream, making them feel even more terrified than they already were.

'Jason, what are you doing up so late?' Mrs DiLaurentis asked, coming to the centre of the room and peering around suspiciously.

'I went into the garden for some fresh air. And when I came in, I, uh, knocked over the torch.' Jason lied, spotting the torch that Emily had left on the floor and pointing out to his mother.

'Who were you talking to?' She asked, frowning at her son.

Emily bit down harder on her hand, breaking the skin. Blood started to trickle down her finger, tickling. She tried to free her other hand to wipe it away but Spencer's elbow was in the way.

'What?' Jason asked nervously. 'No one.'

'Someone said 'be careful' and you were opening and closing the cupboards when I came in. Are one of your friends here?' Mrs DiLaurentis questioned.

'That was the TV. The TV was making the noise, I mean. And I was hungry. I was looking for potato chips.' Jason said quickly.

'The TV isn't on, Jason.' Mrs DiLaurentis snapped. 'And you know there aren't any potato chips in a cupboard that's been empty for years.'

The four girls found each other's hands, preparing to be discovered as Mrs Dilaurentis's footsteps got closer and closer. They couldn't even imagine the trouble they'd be in now. Spencer wouldn't find her test, Mrs D would probably call the police and A would no doubt intervene to make the situation a hundred times worse. Hanna squeezed Emily's hand even tighter as the silence outside the cupboard proved Jason had run out of clever ideas. Just as Mrs Dilaurentis's hand reached out to open the cupboard and Aria breathed in fearfully, Jason grabbed his mother's arm urgently.

'Mom, Peter Hastings is in the backyard.'


	7. Open Books

'What?' Mrs DiLaurentis snapped, whirling round and narrowing her eyes at Jason.

Spencer couldn't see the other girls but she had a very strong feeling that if they could see each other, they would be exchanging very bewildered looks right about now.

'He's standing in the middle of the garden. What's doing out there?' Jason asked aloud to no one in particular.

'Don't look at him Jason! Has he seen us?' Mrs DiLaurentis hissed.

'Mom do you need me to go out there?' Jason asked worriedly. 'Has he been bothering you?'

'No, no it's fine, I'll manage everything.' Mrs DiLaurentis tried to sound light, but even the girls could hear her voice shaking.

'I'll come out with you!' Jason insisted, following his mother to where she was standing, trying to unlock the back door with quivering hands. She didn't argue when he leant over and yanked the door open in one swift motion and marched out, looking much more confident than he felt.

The four girls strained to listen from the cupboard they were locked in, all curious to find out what the hell Spencer's dad was doing in the DiLaurentis garden at four in the morning. And by the sound of it, he was drunk.

'Jason, my boy! Good to see you!' he cried as Jason stopped short in front of him, putting a protective arm over his mother.

'What do you want, Peter?' Mrs DiLaurentis asked politely.

'Just come to see how you are! And Spencer!' he added.

Spencer's blood ran cold. How did her father know she was here? Had he been spying on her and the girls when they'd been on the street? Did that mean he'd heard them talking about her pregnancy? Had he already told her mom? Luckily, Jason was much calmer than Spencer is the situation.

'Wrong house, Peter. Your daughter lives next door. As do you. I suggest you leave us out of your little family dispute and sober up.' He said coldly, glancing over his shoulder at his kitchen.

'Don't you give me suggestions, you smug idiot!' Peter hollered, pointing his finger at Jason threateningly.

In the cupboard, Emily gave a whimper of pain. This seem like a signal for the girls to untangle themselves without trying to make too much noise, glad that Mrs DiLaurentis had stopped worrying about their hiding place. At once Aria began to whisper furiously.

'When I pulled the string, the whole back of the cupboard fell in! Ali must have kept things back there, it's kind of an extra cupboard, big enough to fit two of us in.' She told them quietly.

'Ok, me and Aria will climb back and take a look quickly while you two find out what's happening out there!' Hanna ordered.

Aria nodded reluctantly. Spencer didn't even reply as she was too busy listening to the conversation going on outside, and Emily was concentrating and moving her leg into a more comfortable position, so Hanna unhooked her arm from Aria's torso and they disappeared into the darkness.

'What's going on out there?' Emily asked Spencer, trying to hear the muffled voices from outside too.

'Well, my dad is drunk. And by the looks of it he thinks this is his house.' Spencer replied. 'How's your leg?' she added, noticing her friend wincing in pain.

'Better with more space now. I might have bruised the bone. But we can worry about that later. Whats happening now?' Emily questioned. Both girls pressed their ears to the door intently. All they could really hear was Aria and Hanna scrambling about a few feet away.

'Jason, go inside!' Mrs DiLaurentis was saying.

'No mom, I'm not leaving you with him!' Jason protested, turning to his mother in shock.

'I can handle this, Jason. Go inside now!'

Jason hesitated for a moment, glaring at Peter, who returned the favour, before walking back inside slowly. He waited at the door for a moment, watching over the two of them, until his mother gave him a warning look that obviously meant he shouldn't be eavesdropping and he closed the door shut tightly and yanked open the cupboard door.

Emily and Spencer stumbled back, embarrassed to be caught straining to hear. Jason grabbed Spencer shirt and hauled her toward him, obviously thinking the four girls could make it out of the house before Mrs DiLaurentis realised what was going on.

'Get out now, quickly before she sees! Go out the front door!' He hissed to them, looking around for the other two missing girls. 'All of you, now!'

He saw Emily was struggling to stand, and dragged her to her feet, just and Hanna's head came back into view. She realised what was going on and tumbled out with Spencer, both of them supporting Emily by the arms as Jason pulled Aria out.

'Spencer, we-' Aria started to say, but Jason cut over her.

'You can chat outside, quickly! She'll be back in any minute, and you don't want to be caught, I promise you!' he snapped, pushing Aria towards the kitchen door. They hurried past the window without being spotted thankfully, and Jason guided them through the hall and to the front door quickly.

'Spencer, I don't think you should go home…' Jason pulled his half-sister aside and looked at her warningly.

Spencer was silent, as were the other three girls; hovering by the door awkwardly. Whatever Jason meant, he couldn't seem to say it in front of Emily, Hanna and Aria. His grip tightened on Spencer's arm and Hanna cleared her throat angrily.

Jason sensed she could see how firmly he was holding her and was worried he was hurting her. Spencer still said nothing, though she began to glare at Jason. He loosened his grip as Aria glanced back at the kitchen. There was still no sign of any commotion from the garden, but neither of the five of them particularly wanted to hang around.

'I don't want to stay here with you.' Spencer said quietly. 'But you do own me a very good explanation.' She sigh, remembering what she'd found in the kitchen drawers.

'And I promise I'll give you one. But you don't want me to tell you with an audience.' Jason warned, looking pointedly at the three girls who were half in and half out of the front door. 'Trust me Spencer, you don't.'

Spencer nodded, seeing the hurt in his eyes and not bearing the thought of him thinking that another person couldn't trust him enough to be alone with him. She knew he felt like an outsider and he had tried to help them, so she wasn't going to let him down.

'Spence, you don't have to stay with him.' Hanna reminded her friend.

'I want to. I need to find out what's going on.' Spencer replied with a small sigh. Her eyes were filling up with tears at the mess they were in now. And the fact she'd dragged the Dilaurentis's into it too. As if they didn't have enough to worry about. 'What we were looking for…there's no point, we should have known this was a fix.'

'That's what I was going to tell you, Spencer-' Aria was cut off by Jason once again.

'Look whatever you going to say, hurry up. I can't hear voices from outside anymore.' He snapped, starting to guide the three girls out of the front door.

Emily winced in pain again, another signal that maybe the girls should speed up. Aria huffed exasperatedly, pushing past Jason and handing Spencer something she had been gripping on to since re-emerging from the secret compartment in the cupboard. Wrapped in a Hanna's scarf, so as Jason couldn't see it, was the pregnancy test.

* * *

 **I feel like this is a really bad chapter :/ But Spencer and Jason swap secrets in the next, and maybe even tell Spencer's parents and Toby! How do you think they'll react? Will A really let Spencer have her test that easily? Or are they cooking up another plan for revenge? I have written out first draft paragraphs from further on chapters, which I suppose you could call spoilers, so if you want to read any of them, PM me! Keep your theories up on what will happen next and who A is, I will have the girls find out who it is in further chapters as well! Start guessing bitches! - A (still me :P)**


	8. Through The Looking Glass

Aria patted Spencer's arm happily, stepping away from her afterwards and motioning for the Hanna to start helping Emily out. Waving their hands or mumbling tired goodbyes, they traipsed out of Jason's front door, heading down the driveway with Emily between them. Jason watched them help her as she stumbled into the early morning sunlight until they turned the street corner and were lost from his sight. He turned back to Spencer.

She had barely heard them leave, her ears were filled with the sound of her heart beating fast. So fast she was surprised Jason couldn't hear it. It was all ok now. Well, better than the alternative, which was A's no-doubt horrible plan. At least this way, Spencer could tell her family herself, cushion the blow. Only she had better do it fast. A had gone to extraordinary lengths to hide it, yes, but were they really prepared to let Spencer skip home and announce the news uninterrupted? What if this was a different pregnancy test, or A had something else planned up the line, or-

'Spencer?' Jason's voice entered her thoughts, dragging her away from her momentary panic. 'I think you should go upstairs to my room while I make sure my mother's ok.'

'Sure. Are you sure she'll be ok?' Spencer asked, feeling rather embarrassed it was her dad causing Mrs DiLaurentis trouble.

'She'll be fine. She'll probably need a strong coffee though. She won't go back to sleep now.' Jason replied.

'I'm sorry.' Spencer said, really meaning it.

'It's not your fault.' Jason muttered.

Neither of them were very good at expressing their feelings, so there was a rather awkward silence, before Jason cleared his throat again.

'I won't be ten minutes, but if you think you can hear her coming up the stairs without me, run into Alison's room. I mean, Alison's old room.' His face clouded over as he corrected himself. 'Mom never goes in there anymore.'

'Thanks Jason.' Spencer nodded, turning to climb the stairs wearily, as Jason set off back toward the kitchen.

Spencer couldn't remember the last time she'd been in Ali's house. It must have been the day she died, obviously, but she couldn't remember the last time she'd actually been there alone. It had always been the five of them together, telling secrets in Ali's room, giggling at people walking by in the front yard, or drinking fruity soda in the summer round the kitchen table. Whenever it was just Ali and her, they'd ended up arguing, or not talking at all. She wondered if it had been the same for the other girls as she reached the top of the staircase. Had their friendship only worked with the five of them? Would any of them have been friends if it weren't for Ali? Or were any of them actually friends with Alison when she was alive? Friends or followers? Spencer brain hurt as memories flooded her thoughts. The time Ali dared Aria to slide down her banister and Aria had gotten into trouble with her mom for breaking it. Spencer, Emily and Hanna had felt awful when Aria informed them she could go clothes shopping the next day, but Ali had laughed and made fun of it the whole day, whilst twirling around in dresses way too expensive for Spencer to even think about buying. But Alison only had to bat her long eyelashes and the manager would reduce it at once, or an elderly woman would take pity and buy it for her with a flash of a card. Or the time Alison had smashed a vase at Hanna's house, and Hanna's dad had found out, resulting in Hanna lying and claiming it was herself that smashed it. Again, whilst the others were horrified, Alison had sniggered at the story, and repeated in for years, even though she knew Hanna was upset by it. She didn't even offer her thanks.

Spencer shook her head to clear it of the wondering and took a deep breath. She had bigger things to worry about than Alison's games. Besides, Alison had been somewhat of a friend, and Spencer didn't want to tarnish her memory by over thinking things.

She reached Jason's bedroom door, remembering it from when her and the other girls would peek in and see Jason with all his friends. It had changed from what she recalled. The room had been dirty before, clothes and magazines all over the floor. There had been stains on the carpet and the wallpaper had been peeling. Empty bottles and packets of nuts and crisps everywhere. The bed was never made, the curtains were always drawn and the door was certainly never open for visitors. Even Alison had been nervous at the prospect of trying to sneak in. It had been her idea, though, of course. Now, the room was spotless. Even at half four in the morning, the bed was made, which Spencer guessed was because Jason had been in the shed. A new carpet had been put down, the wallpaper stripped and replaced with paint. There was no rubbish inside, the only food being a pack of mints on the new bed side table, which were accompanied by a glass of water. There was a chair in front of the window of the room, which was also new, and it pointed towards a chest of drawers that Spencer recognised as an old item of Alison's. When she had decided the chest was stylish enough a few months before her death, Kenneth and Jessica had splashed out on the perfect bedroom cupboard to store Alison's garments and Jason, Spencer assumed, had been left with the old one. Its faded baby pink colour had disappeared under quite a few layers of white, but it was still slightly visible, a constant reminder of Alison. What disturbed Spencer most, though, and what she thought was probably the reason Jason didn't seem to sleep in there anymore was what was displayed on top of it.

Lots of picture frames were crammed upon the surface, small ones, large ones, golden rimmed ones and silver rimmed ones, all perfectly arranged and immaculately tidy. But the frames weren't the cause for Spencer's concern. It was the pictures themselves. Every single photo had Alison grinning out from the glass. Yes, Jason and others appeared in some along with her, but there wasn't a single photo that didn't have Alison in it. Photos with her Jason alone, photos of them with Cece, family photos, photos that look like Alison had just taken them of herself, photos that had been professionally taken of Alison. The more Spencer thought about it, the more she found it unsettling, and her heart jumped a mile when she saw the small, grainy photo in a black frame, right in the centre of the pictures.

It was a photo of Alison, the night she died. It looked like it was taken from the bushes in Spencer's garden and Alison was wearing the clothes she died in, the yellow top seemingly glowing in the darkness, mid-walk. She was heading towards her own house. Spencer let out a gasp, snatching the photo up and studying it closely. In the distance, she could make out the barn, where the girls must have been sleeping at that exact moment. Alison was grinning to herself about something, or maybe even grinning at someone else, who wasn't in the shot. As Spencer peered at the photo in horror, she felt the back of the frame, which was no bigger than her hand, slide off. She turned it over, wondering what had happened, and saw that there was a folded up scrap of paper stuffed in between the back of the grainy photo and the back of the frame. Listening for footsteps, she paused for a moment, before pulling on the paper and unfolding it anxiously. On the paper, someone had scrawled a paragraph of writing. Spencer squinted to read it.

 _'_ _Well done, bitch. You finished the game, and you won the prize. You get to tell everyone yourself. Don't worry, it's the real thing, I keep my promises. Admittedly, you had help that I didn't count on, but it's taken care of. But you've only jumped the first hurdle, honey! Motherhood has a few bitch-slaps to serve you without my help! And your parents aren't going to be thrilled by the news. But that's not what this is about. This is about ruining your life, and you and your family have managed that all by yourselves, to be honest. I'm just giving you the extra boost. Tweaking a few things here and there. Be careful, bitch. Because when I'm done, you won't know what hit you! Oh, and, tell your dad to cut back on the drinking, I wouldn't want him to bring any harm to the Hasting's good name! Kisses, A.'_

Spencer whispered the message to herself over and over again. Help that A didn't count on? Did that mean Jason, or the girls? _It's taken care of_? What did that mean? Emily's leg? Or had A planned something else? Well, A was right about a few things. Motherhood was going to be hard, and her parents weren't going to be happy. Spencer was unnerved by the comment about her father. This obviously meant A had been watching the conversation outside, which led to the conclusion that A had gotten into Jason's bedroom, placed this photograph and note on the chest of drawers, maybe even placed the whole lot of Ali photos there _and_ gotten out before Emily, Aria and Hanna had left the house, and Spencer had climbed the stairs. That couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 minutes. A could have been in the room seconds before Spencer walked in. The thought made a shiver crawl up her spine.

She had been studying the note for a few minutes for hidden clues or goodness knows what, when she heard Jason call his mother goodnight and footsteps on the stairs. Spencer began to panic. Who was coming up the stairs? Jason or Mrs DiLaurentis? And even if it was Jason, he wouldn't exactly take to finding her standing next to a bunch of photos of his dead sister, one of which was taken by an unknown source the night she died. Spencer snatched the note and the grainy picture out of its frame quickly and stashed them in her pocket, placing the empty frame right at the back, behind the remaining frames. Jason opened the door of his bedroom just as she was about to withdraw her hand from the picture frame.

'I see you've discover my mother's shrine to Alison.' he said with a bitter smile.

Spencer didn't say anything, her hand flying to her side as though it had been burned. She felt a little relief that the photos of Ali were Mrs Dilaurentis's work rather than A's because she wouldn't know quite how to explain how the photos had appeared there otherwise.

'Spencer, I know we need to talk.' Jason began, more seriously. 'But I don't know where to begin. And you owe me a few explanations too.'

'Jason, I don't _owe_ you anything. But I'll tell you why I need to get into your house, if you tell me why you have my social security and hospital records in your kitchen, where your knives and forks should be!' Spencer snapped.

Jason ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. He gestured for Spencer to sit down on the chair by the window, but she simply glared at him, so he rolled his eyes and sank down on the bed sheets instead.

'Spencer, you can't tell your mom or your sister any of this!' Jason warned. 'My mother could get into big trouble for this. Listen to what I have to say and please, Spencer, don't bring any more misfortune on my mother!'

'She brought it on herself if she decided she could get away with stealing peoples hospital files, Jason!' Spencer hissed.

' _She_ didn't steal them! _Peter_ did!' Jason told a shocked Spencer.

'What? Have you gone insane? Why would my _father_ steal my hospital records?' Spencer shook her head in disbelieve.

'I don't know! But I guarantee you he did, Spencer! I saw him come to the house one night last week, and give my mother those files!' Jason informed her.

'Why would he steal them Jason? He's my father, he could just ask for them!' Spencer pointed out.

'I think your mother has stopped him from viewing you and Melissa's birth records, hospital records, social security, everything.' Jason said.

'What? Why would you think that?' Spencer stand down on the chair abruptly, feeling very sick all of a sudden.

'I'm doing some research, Spencer, that's why I stay in the shed now. I want to know what happened to my sister. The truth, not lies. My mother doesn't know. And I'm sorry, but I think your father has something to do with Alison's murder. I've called a few people, and Peter is doing something with those files, Spencer. And it's not something good.'

'What would he want to do?' Spencer asked worriedly. 'Why would he need them?'

She was beginning to remember her parent's strange behaviour and wondering if Jason's story may have some truth in it. Like how she hadn't seen her father for months, until he shows up blind drunk at Mrs Dilaurentis's house. Or her mother knowing Melissa had been fired before Melissa had told her herself. Or them both lying about where her father was, when in reality, he couldn't be that far away, if he could manage to walk to their street. And if he was back, why wasn't he living in their house?

'Spencer, I really don't know, I'm sorry. But I'm working on it.' Jason tried to reassure Spencer, but he didn't succeed.

'Jason, why would your mother take those files and hide them in her own house if she was going to get in trouble with the law? Why would she put you both in danger? It doesn't make sense!' Spencer sigh.

'I think Peter is blackmailing my mom. I don't know what with, or what for. She won't tell me anything, and I'm scared for her! I just know that _he_ stole the files, and he's not using them to make confetti!' Jason shook his head at the mess they were in.

Spencer's head began to throb as the room span precariously in her mind. She clutched the side of the seat to feel steady and Jason stood up with a concerned look on his face.

'Are you going to be sick?' he asked, and when Spencer didn't answer, he grabbed the wastepaper bin from the foot of his bed and placed it by her feet cautiously. 'I didn't mean to spring all this on you, it's just that you asked…' he trailed off, with another worried glance at Spencer, who was taking deep breaths with her eyes closed.

'I'm fine.' She mumbled, placing a hand on her forehead and giving him a weak smile. 'It's just, a lot to take in these last few days. I don't know what I'm going to do Jason. I'm so scared, I can't tell my parents, I can't tell Toby. I haven't even told the girls how afraid I really am.' She brushed a few tears away from her cheeks.

Jason blinked twice, wondering if he'd missed something. What Spencer talking about her father or something else?

'Umm, why are you so frightened, exactly?' he asked hesitantly.

Spencer's shoulders shook as she realised for the first time what a mess she was really in. The reality hadn't hit her until now. As soon as she'd gotten the test, she had been in a state of shock, and then she'd lost the opportunity to tell Toby. Melissa had found out, but she hadn't really believed it then. And she hadn't had to say the words, Melissa had discovered by accident. The last few days she barely had time to think about it, what with the race against A to find the test. She hadn't been worrying when she told the girls, she was just fixated on finding the test. Using up all her emotions to hunt it down. And now these emotions were streaming down her face in the form of tears, blurring her eyesight, so she didn't see Jason move toward her and pull her into a hug. She clutched onto his shirt, sobbing into the collar whilst he patted her arm gently. Despite her state, Spencer still wondered whether Jason ever used to comfort Alison like this. She couldn't imagine them being so close, but then again, most people thought her and Melissa hated each other.

'Spencer, tell me what's wrong?' Jason asked, moving backwards so he could see her face.

Even though tears were glistening on her cheeks, she managed to calm down enough to look at Jason's concerned face.

'I'm pregnant.' She whispered.

As soon as the word left her mouth she dropped her gaze, playing with the hem of her skirt and she waited for him to say something. He didn't speak for a while, leaving the silence go on for so long Spencer had to drag her eyes up to meet his again.

'First step to overcoming something, look people in the eye.' Jason stated simply.

Spencer frowned at him. 'What?' she asked wearily.

'They taught me that when my mother packed me off to rehab. Always look people in the eye.' Jason continued. 'I used to say things to the floor, and they wouldn't respond until I looked them in the eye. It's supposed to make you seem more confident, more sure of yourself. It's a sign that you have a plan, and you know what you're doing.'

'But I'm not confident. I'm not sure of myself. I don't have a plan, and I don't know what I'm doing!' Spencer sigh, burying her head in her hands. 'Jason I don't know what to do!'

'You know that. But other people don't. If you say it often enough, you might start to believe it.' Jason told her.

Spencer didn't respond, she was trying to stop her hands shaking by clenching them down on her knees until her knuckles turned white.

'Ok, listen. You say you haven't told your parents or Toby yet. I think that's the first thing you should have done. How long have you known?' Jason asked.

'A few days. Since Friday. But I was looking for the test. I didn't have time to tell them till now!' Spencer argued.

'What do you mean you were looking for the test? You _lost_ the pregnancy test?' Jason frowned, confused. 'And you found it in my cupboard?' he added, realising what Aria had given Spencer wrapped up in the scarf.

Spencer hesitated. How much of this could she tell Jason, without putting him in danger? And how much did he already know, if he was looking into Ali's dead?

'Jason, I can't tell you much. There's someone, out there, who doesn't like me. Or Emily, Hanna and Aria. And they think it's funny to… to play games with us. Scary games. Like hiding our possessions and threatening to reveal secrets.' Spencer started carefully.

'What, like a bully?' Jason asked.

'I suppose. On a bigger scale. But Jason, this person is dangerous, you can't tell anyone, it could put everyone you love at risk!' Spencer urged.

Jason thought for a moment, before turning to Spencer. He looked like he'd just remember something, or something was dawning on him.

'I was looking at a few letters I found under a floor board in Alison's room. She was writing to someone who called themselves - A. And this person wasn't a pen pal. I can't work out much from the scraps of paragraphs, but I think this person knew a lot of things about Alison. Just like she knew a lot of things about everyone else.' Jason said seriously.

Spencer's shock must have shown on her face because Jason narrowed his eyes.

'Is this A the same person who's playing games with you?' he asked suspiciously.

Spencer nodded her head. 'We think A had something to do with Alison's death. We just don't know what.'

'And you never told the police? Your parents? They could have helped! Alison's murder could have been solved! And you and your girl friends thought this was something to discuss at sleepovers! This is a murder, Spencer!' Jason hissed.

'We know, Jason! We couldn't tell the police because we all have secrets! Everyone does and A knows them all! You can't go to the police! If you want to find out what happened to Ali, you help _us_! Do you think Maya's death was a coincidence? Detective Wilden's? Maybe they were all in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or maybe they all knew something.' Spencer warned Jason. 'A is dangerous, and you can't just go running your mouth off to Rosewood PD!'

Jason shook his head furiously. 'This is so ridiculous! She's been gone for two years and my mother still can't sleep at night! The police don't know anything and now this! Spencer, how are we going to get to the bottom of this?'

'I can't think about Alison right now! Jason, there is another human growing inside of me, that's my main concern!' Spencer reminded him.

'If you want help, go and ask your parents, Spencer! You need to tell Toby and your parents, and go to the hospital! Before this A can do anything else!' Jason advised her. 'Why haven't you told Toby, Spencer?'

'I can't! A sent me this picture, and I backed out! And I was so busy looking for the pregnancy test, we got into a massive argument. He left for a job on Sunday. He'll be back by now.' Spencer sigh sadly.

'Well, do you think he'd help with the baby?' Jason asked awkwardly.

'Yes, of course, he'd be a brilliant father!' Spencer nodded.

'Then why are you so afraid?' Jason asked. 'Just tell him, and if it goes better or worse than you thought, you're still going to have a baby, Spencer. And the baby should be the thing that comes first now.'

Spencer nodded, drying her eyes and standing up.

'What's the time?' she asked Jason resignedly.

'Half past five.' He answered after checking his watch.

'I'll go now. And I'll tell my mom when I get home.' Spencer decided with a shuddering breath.

'It's the right thing to do. You just have to call if you need anything. Good luck!' he added with a half-smile.

Spencer returned it nervously. 'Thanks Jason. For everything.'

* * *

 **This chapter is sooo long! It took me ages! And I updated in less than a week! But I'm going on holidays tomorrow till next Saturday, so you won't get another chapter till then! Surprise me with lots of reviews when I get back? Next chapter; Spoby fluff and Toby gets the memo... so do Mom and Dad Hastings! How will they react? What is A planning to do about Peter? What will happen to the photo of Alison? Plus, did anyone see Tuesday's episode? Who do you guys think Charles is? Who would you like him to be? - A (just kidding its Charles... or it could be me... I guess you'll never know :P)**


	9. Clear The Air

Spencer wandered slowly down the empty road. The quiet buildings were bathed in the early morning light, and the birds were just starting to sing. She listened to their little songs calmly, as she walked by the shadowy trees. It was the first of June that day, and Spencer could see the little rows of purple and yellow flowers lining the pavement by the church. The air was warm, not too cold for Spencer to be outside in just a jacket and skirt, even though there was a refreshing breeze.

It seemed the perfect morning that day, and Spencer's stomach swooped at the thought of ruining it for poor Toby. But she reminded herself that Toby could always refused to have anything to do with the child, and even though it didn't seem that comforting, it made her feel better thinking that at least Toby had a choice in all this. It was rather peaceful for Spencer to make her way up to Toby's loft in the sleeping village, where no one was asking questions, or disturbing her.

She relished in the silence for a moment outside the Brew, and pressed the buzzer to ask Toby to talk reluctantly. He answered almost straight away, which Spencer was surprised at, because she hadn't expected him to be awake at quarter to six on a Wednesday morning.

'Hello?' Toby didn't sound like he'd been sleeping. 'Who is it?'

'It's Spencer. We need to talk, Toby.' Spencer replied firmly, though she was twisting her hands with uneasiness in reality.

'I know. Come on up.' Toby sounded friendly, so Spencer hoped they weren't going to argue before she could get this out.

'Thanks.' Spencer replied shortly as the buzzer sounded again and the door clicked open.

Spencer stepped inside, after looking around to check if anyone had seen her. She reached down into her pocket and felt the cold little stick that had determined her future, wishing it would just disappear. Or maybe just float out of her pocket and tell Toby itself, because now she'd gathered the courage to come here, she couldn't move from her spot at the bottom of the stairs. If she walked up there now, and just told him, she would change his life. She would ruin it. His parents would hate, her parents would hate her. Everyone would look down their nose at him. He would be the guy who knocked up his seventeen year old girlfriend at the age of nineteen. He wouldn't be able to a get a job any more, he'd be unable to pay rent and then they'd be living on the streets with no food. And that was if he decided to stand by her. If he didn't, well, he'd probably take a job away from Rosewood so no one would know that he had a child, leave his family, and then they would no doubt hate her. She'd be all on her own. Shunned by her family, friends and living in the gutters with a little baby.

'Spencer? Are you coming up or what?' Toby's head appeared at the top of the stairs. He was smiling at her, happy to see her. His hair was all messed up from lying in bed and he stifled a yawn behind his hand. In his other hand he held a glass of orange juice, and his eyes were filled with joy as Spencer tried to return his smile.

'Yes, I'm coming.' She choked out, mounting the steps cautiously, wondering if you should go up staircases slowly if you were pregnant. Her eyes filled with tears at her foolishness. She could recite the alphabet backwards, letter perfect, from the age of five. She could narrate whole paragraphs from the Harry Potter series by the time she was eleven. Yet she didn't know the answer to a stupid, simple question like that.

As she reached the top of the stairs, Toby stretched out his arms and dragged her into a huge hug. She rested her head on his chest breathing in his warmth and wrapped her arms round his neck as they swayed back and forth. Spencer wished they could stay like that forever, but Toby took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes with eagerness.

'Spence, I'm so sorry.' He mumbled into her hair as he kissed her head softly. 'I should have just been straight with you about that blonde girl from the beginning.'

'It doesn't matter, Toby.' Spencer told his pyjama t-shirt blearily.

'She was my dad's friend's daughter. My dad arranged for us to meet up one day last week.'

'Toby, if you'd just told me in the beginning, I would have – '

'Spencer it was my fault. I think he tried to set me up with her. He didn't mention to her that I had a girlfriend. I told her in the end though.'

'Why didn't you tell me?' Spencer asked, feeling stupid now she knew the truth.

'I guess I was angry that you didn't trust me' Toby sigh. As Spencer began to open her mouth, he stopped her with a kiss.

'I know what you're going to say,' he continued after pulling away. 'That it's not that you didn't trust me. You just wanted to know, and I understand, Spencer. I was the one who over-reacted. And that's why I'm sorry.'

'Toby, you don't have to apologise.' Spencer sigh, burying her head back in his t-shirt. She remembered what Jason said about looking people in the eye, but she knew she was going to start crying if she had to stare into his satisfied face again.

'I do, Spence, I was really horrible to you.' Toby insisted. 'I love you, Spencer! I don't want anything to get in the way of that.'

At those words, Spencer let a strangled sob escaped her lips. She pulled herself from Toby's grasp and looked for a place to sit, feeling dizzy. She sank down on a leather sofa eventually, hiding her face from Toby remorsefully.

'Oh my god, I've made you cry! I'm so sorry, I really am! Spencer, I swear I didn't know my dad was trying to set me up!' Toby pleaded, following her to the sofa and trying to grab hold of her hand.

'Toby, I'm not crying because of that!' Spencer reassured him, but he shook his head distractedly.

'Why else would you be crying? Spencer, I understand that you're angry! Just please don't lie to me and tell me you're not! No more secrets, both of us. Right?' Toby suggested, reaching out and wiping a few tears off Spencer's cheeks.

'No more secrets.' Spencer repeated, more to herself than Toby.

'Ok! Do you, umm, want some bacon or something?' Toby asked, gesturing to the kitchen unit, where Spencer saw he had been in the middle of eating a bacon sandwich. Normally, Spencer would have jumped at the chance, she was starving, but the thought of the grease made her already queasy stomach turn again.

'Just a glass of water, thanks.' Spencer managed to say, taking a deep breath.

'Sure!' Toby nodded eagerly. Spencer knew he was trying desperately to please her, because he was trying to make up for his mistake a few days ago. If that was the case, and he really was upset about the photo, Spencer was terrified at how he would react to _her_ mistake.

'Toby, you said no secrets, so…umm…' Spencer started as Toby handed her a glass of water, which she placed on a coaster and went back to twisting her hands in her lap.

'Spencer are you ill?' Toby interrupted. 'You look really pale. Do you need me to go the chemist and get tablets for you? They open at six!'

'No, Toby, I'm just nervous about telling you something.' Spencer said tightly, wishing he'd stop cutting her off and let her get this off her chest.

'Is this the thing you were going to tell me before we argued?' Toby asked, and when Spencer nodded, he grinned. 'I knew something was bothering you! I can always tell when you're upset!'

Spencer tried to smile weakly, but her eyes were burning with tears again. 'Well, th-the thing is, umm, you and me…well, yes you and me and the… oh god.'

She was trying to speak but the words wouldn't come out, her tears were choking her and now she'd made it sound like she wanted to break up with him. Toby narrowed his eyes and squeezed her hand tightly. Why could the damn test just speak for itself? Spencer screamed in her mind. In her burst of anger, she reached into her pocket tossed the pregnancy test at Toby, regretting doing as soon as it bounced off the edge of the sofa and landed at Toby's feet. Burying her head in her knees, she started to sob feebly again.

Toby took the test in his hands bewilderedly. When he realised what it was, his face became expressionless, and he dropped his gazed to Spencer.

'I'm guessing this is ours?' he asked quietly.

Spencer lifted her head out of her arms slowly and nodded, wanted to scream at the look of controlled disappointment on his face. There was an awkward silence for a few moments as Toby studied her face carefully. She repeated Jason's words in her mind over and over again as Spencer struggled to look into Toby's eyes.

'I'm so sorry-'

The both of them had spoken at the same time, exactly the same words.

'Why are you sorry?' Spencer asked. 'This is my fault.'

'Spencer, it takes two to do something like this! I should have known better!' Toby said bitterly.

'And I shouldn't?' Spencer raised her eyebrow through her tears, sharply.

'I'm not saying that, look, Spencer, I'm going to be the one everyone blames for this! The village creep with a dead mother, who's know gone and got the straight A student pregnant. Do you have any idea what people are going to say?' Toby cried, shaking his head.

'Well I'm sorry this is such an inconvenience to you!' Spencer choked out, though she knew Toby was right to be angry.

'Spencer,' Toby's expression softened when he saw her trying to hold back sobs. 'I wasn't blaming you, I was blaming me.'

'Toby, don't you think I've already thought about that? Every single night! I haven't slept, all I could think about was you and telling my mom!' Spencer cried.

'Wait, every night? How long have you known Spencer?' Toby glared at her. 'Didn't you just find out? How long have you kept this from me?'

'Since Friday. I found out Friday.' Spencer sigh.

'Spencer that was nearly a whole week ago! You kept this to yourself the whole time?' Toby asked, standing up and beginning to pace the floor in front of the sofa.

'Well, not exactly.' Spencer gulped. 'I, umm, I told the girls. And Jason.'

Toby's eyes widened in shock and he opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish. Spencer was on the brink of starting to laugh despite the situation, she felt so deliriously sleep deprived and all Toby was doing was feeling sorry for himself.

'Spencer I can't believe you! Who else knows? Did you tell the paperboy?' Toby yelled. 'Do you think this is funny? What are people going to say?'

Spencer lent back on the sofa in frustration, a piercing pain shooting through her head. At the sound of Toby's last question, she'd had enough of his self-pity.

'You know what, Toby? I don't give a damn about what people are going to say! _I_ give a damn about the baby that's growing in my uterus! The baby that _I_ have to give birth to and that _I_ have to bring up and that _I_ have to sacrifice a career and my life for! I give a damn about the fact that you can just walk away! You can still have a normal life, you can have a job! You can tell me to leave now, and never come back! And I would respect that decision! Because I spent the all those sleepless nights worrying about _you_! Not _my_ life, not the baby's, _yours_! And why should I, when you have a choice? I need to think about myself and this baby now, Toby. I don't have room for worrying about you.'

Toby stared at Spencer for a moment, realising what little effect this had on him compared to her. He set back down slowly and pulled her back into a hug.

'I promise I'll stand by you, Spence. I'm sorry.' He whispered.

'I don't think you mentioned it.' Spence joked, letting out a snort.

And suddenly, even though they were both terrified at the thought of what was to come, they were both giggling quietly. Because at least now they could be terrified together. They stayed there on the sofa, encircled in each other's arms for as long as they could before one of them asked the question that was on both of their minds.

'Are we going to tell your parents?' Toby asked.

'No, I was thinking it would be a nice surprise in 9 months.' Spencer said sarcastically, but Toby could tell by her tone that she was scared.

'Spencer, we have to get it over with now. We have to tell them today, we'll go right now.' Toby nodded, standing up and walking over to his bedroom before Spencer stopped him by grabbing his arm.

'Go right now?' Spencer repeated, her eyes wide. 'Toby, you've only just found out yourself! We have to plan what to say, we have to come up with… we have to…'

'Spencer, your parents need to know! The longer you leave, the harder it will be to tell. Just, don't think about it too much. Calm down while I change and we'll go straight there.' Toby told her.

'It's seven o'clock in the morning, Toby. They'll be going to work or asleep. God, I forgot about school!' Spencer cried, kicking a nearby chair leg in frustration.

'Spencer, this is more important. Would you please just wait here until I'm done?' Toby pleaded.

Spencer sigh and nodded worriedly. How could she have forgotten about school? She hoped Hanna, Emily and Aria had made it on time. It wasn't like she would have been learning anyway. Probably sleeping from all the running around she had been doing for four days straight.

Just as she sat back down on the sofa, she remembered her mobile phone was turned off in her bag. Maybe the girls were worried about her and had text her. Spencer reached into her bag and as she turned her phone back on, her heart sank in defeat. She had 12 missed calls from her mother, 4 missed calls from Melissa and 8 from her dad. Not to mention 19 unread text messages. She dialled her mother's number nervously and at once she could hear her mothers voice, a deadly whisper, shaking with anger.

'Spencer Hastings, you'd better get home right now.'

* * *

 **Sorry for the wait! I was too busy fangirling over 6x10 to edit this, but I've finally got round to it! Yay! So what did you guys think of the finale? I cant believe that _!{[SPOILER]}! Cece Drake is A !{[SPOILER]}!_ It was a bit problematic but I enjoyed it! What do you guys think about the time jump scene? I can't wait! Anyway, here's the next chapter, Spoby love and all! Review with your theories for this FanFic or the show or if you just want to fangirl over PLL, I don't mind!**


	10. How Times Change

**READ THE IMPORTANT MESSAGE AT THE END!**

* * *

'I can explain.'

Spencer was sitting on her living room sofa, hands twisting nervously in her lap. Toby was sat by her side nervously, avoiding eye contact with anyone in the room, which resulted in him becoming increasingly interested in a glass mug, placed on the coffee table. Spencer's mother was looming over them angrily, her glare trained on Spencer, who took a deep breath. To her surprise, when she had arrived home, her father had also been at her house, considerably more sober (or pretending to be) than he had been during her previous run-in with him at the DiLaurentis house-hold. He was sitting opposite her, drinking coffee and studying Toby carefully. Melissa was hovering by the bottom of the stairs, looking unusually concerned for her younger sister.

'I think you'd better had.' Veronica hissed, her lips set in a straight line. 'Don't you understand how important school is, Spencer?'

'Yes, I do, but I lost track of time!' Spencer argued.

'Don't talk back to Spencer, this is your future career that we're talking about here.' Peter said sharply. 'Don't you want to get a good job and earn good money?'

'Yes, but…'

'But nothing! That's what school is for! That's what working is for! Do you think I got where I am now bunking of school?' Her mother interrupted.

'Mom, I wasn't bunking off!'

'Then explain what you were doing!'

'Like I said, I lost track of time. The girls and I left the barn at six to get ready for school and I went to see Toby. I forgot about the time, I'm sorry.' Spencer lied, and Toby turned to look at her in shock as well, assuming she had been going to tell her mother the truth. Veronica snorted at her reply and

'I see. That cover story doesn't seem too familiar to Toby here, does it?' Veronica pointed out, picking up on Toby's confusion. 'It also doesn't explain where you were at quarter to five this morning, when I checked on you and all of you had disappeared. It also doesn't explain why Mrs DiLaurentis came round half an hour ago and asked if you were ok because you were crying in the street with your friends at five o'clock in the morning. I want the truth, Spencer.'

Spencer took another deep breath as she realised her rushed plan had failed, and put her head in her hands.

'Mom, just let her-'

'Melissa, stay out of this. This has nothing to do with you.'

Veronica interrupted her oldest daughter as Melissa tried to help Spencer. She glared at her mother and came to the sofa to sit by Spencer, placing an arm round her shoulders supportively.

'What is going on here?' Peter barked, a little astonished at the fact that his two daughters were getting along.

'Melissa, do you know something?' Veronica asked.

Melissa stayed quiet, not quite meeting her mother's eye. Veronica rolled her eyes at the secretiveness of both her daughters, getting even more exaggerated as Peter swore under his breath in frustrating.

'Spencer, if you don't tell me what's happening…' Veronica trailed off as Spencer looked up to reveal tears were trickling down her cheeks.

'I'm sorry.' She whispered, as Melissa's grip tightened around her shoulders and Toby grabbed one of her hands. Veronica and Peter looked extremely scared by this point, both sitting on the sofa opposite with worried anticipation written all over their faces. Spencer treed to keep the sobs trapped inside as she quickly thought over how she was going to explain without mentioning A, Jason or her Dad and Mrs D at all.

'When we were in the barn, I… I heard noises coming from the street. It sounded like… a car so I thought Dad was home. We went round to the front but there was no-one there. That's why we were outside, and that's why you couldn't find us.' Spencer started, wondering how she was going to tell the next part.

'It doesn't explain why you were crying.' Peter said, looking rather shifty at the thought that Spencer and her friends had been close when he had been stumbling around in Jason's garden.

'Well, umm, this is the part… this is the part you're not going to like.' Spencer managed to say, before failing to hold back a sob.

'Spencer, you're scaring me, just say it!' Veronica cried at her daughter.

'Mom, I'm pregnant.' Spencer sobbed. 'I'm sorry that I told the girls and Toby before you. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.

There was a split second of silence before her parents blinked twice and all hell broke loose. Peter stood up the same time as Spencer, who had been making her way toward her mother and stopped her in her tracks. He stared into her face for a moment before slapping her around the face suddenly.

'Peter!' Veronica cried, grabbing his arm to prevent him from hurting her any more. Melissa rushed to Spencer's aid, pulling her over to sit back down on the cushions, all whilst staring at her Dad in horror, as Toby leaped up from his seat and stood in front of Peter angrily, protecting Spencer from him getting any closer. Spencer's sobs became more profound as the room silenced again and she buried her head in Melissa's shoulder.

'What is wrong with you?' Veronica yelled at Peter, her gazed fixed on him in horror. He stayed in the exact same position, his breathing hitched and his eyes still burning into Spencer's tear-stricken face. She was holding her cheek with a shaking hand.

'Sit back down!' Veronica ordered Peter, but he stomped into the kitchen area instead, leaning on the counter with his head in his hands. Veronica crossed the room to the fridge and pulled out some ice. She picked up a tea towel and cover the ice with it slowly, as if she was in a dream. She handed it to Spencer and sat down beside her carefully, peering into her face. Toby was still stood with his gaze fixed on Peter, seething with anger.

'Please tell me it's not true.' Veronica pleaded, her eyes filling up with tears as she looked at her daughter. 'Please tell me this is a mistake.'

'I'm so sorry.' Spencer whispered back as her mother pulled her close. She lay her head on her mother's chest, clinging onto her desperately, wishing she was just a little girl again, only crying because she accidently spilled orange juice on the carpet. Veronica was wishing similar things as she stroked Spencer's hair, both of them crying quietly.

'Mom, I don't know what to do!' Spencer sobbed, her breathing losing control until she was hyperventilating. 'I can't breathe!'

'Ok, its ok, just in and out, in and out!' her mother reassured her, miming the action along with her. 'Clear your mind, don't think about it for a minute.'

'Maybe we should take her to the hospital…' Melissa suggested worriedly. 'Too check everything is ok?'

'No! Mom, you can't, the doctors will know and they'll tell everyone! No one can know!' Spencer cried, shaking her head viciously.

'Calm down, Spencer! Ok, sit back and take deep breaths.' Veronica ordered. 'Peter, I think you should phone an ambulance.'

Peter looked up at his wife as Spencer began to protest wildly again. Melissa shushed her quietly as Peter began to laugh. Toby's jaw tightened as he took another threatening step towards him.

'Phone an ambulance? And have the whole street know what she's done?' he replied. 'I don't think so!'

'Peter, we can discuss the consequences later. Right now we need to ensure Spencer's welfare!' Veronica argued, standing up.

'Mom, I'm fine, it's just a panic attack!' Spencer pleaded. 'I just need to calm myself!'

'Spencer, you don't know what you could be doing to the baby.' Veronica told her. 'I won't have another one of my daughters lose a child!'

'She's fine, she's putting it on for sympathy!' Peter yelled, making his children jump. 'She's manipulating you into feeling sorry for her when you should be slapping her too! What is she, the town slag?'

'Don't speak to her like that!' Toby snapped, just as angrily. 'Leave her alone, it was a mistake!'

'And you, I'll make sure you'll never get a decent job again in your life! How dare you talk to me like that in my own house! Especially after what you've done!' Peter snarled, pushing Toby in the chest.

'Peter, stop!' Veronica cried, as Melissa pulled Spencer toward her, covering her face so she couldn't see. 'This isn't going to help!'

'If you touch me or Spencer again, I'll call the police.' Toby threatened, still not backing down as the image of Spencer's pained face flashed through his mind again.

'And tell them what? Who's going to believe you? You're the village freak!' Peter retorted. 'Get out of my house! Go on, get out!'

Toby took one long look at Veronica, who said nothing. He realised that it would probably be better if he left the Hastings household right now. Spencer didn't object to him leaving either, and he was clearly making things worse.

'We'll call you, Toby.' Melissa told him calmly from over Spencer's head.

'Like hell we will…' Peter mumbled darkly, earning a glare from Veronica as Toby disappeared out of the front door. Peter turned to Spencer. 'You're lucky I'm not throwing you out after him.'

'Dad, you're not helping at all!' Melissa snapped. 'Would you calm down?'

'I get no respect around here anymore! You're my daughter, you should do what I say!' Peter yelled. 'Not argue with me in my own house! Melissa, you're old enough to have your own family, your own house, but no! You continue to eat our food and use up our water bills, electricity bills! You could even hold down a husband for, what, two days? Or a baby!'

'My baby died!' Melissa cried, tears beginning to stream down her face to match Spencer's. 'My husband died! How could you even say that to me?'

'Peter I think you should leave.' Veronica said quietly. 'Melissa's right, this isn't what any of us needs right now.'

'You think _I_ should leave? _Me_?' Peter cried, shaking his head in disbelieve. 'I'm not going anywhere.'

'Either you leave, or you start acting rationally.' Veronica stated firmly, even though she was shaking.

'I am not leave my own house! I'm the only one who _is_ acting rationally!' Peter thundered. 'We should be slapping her around the face!'

'You already have, Peter! She's our daughter! No matter what she's done, we have to get on with it!' Veronica shouted, just as loud. 'I want you to leave, right now! Come back when you've realised that this behaviour isn't helping!'

'In that case I don't think you'll be seeing me anytime soon!' Peter retorted.

'Shut the door on your way out.'

'Don't treat me like a damn child, Veronica!' Peter glared at all three of the girls as they watched him edge towards the door, all of them with tear-stricken faces. He was just about to slam the door when he turned back around to face them all.

'You'll be sorry.'

* * *

 **Uh oh! Sorry this chapter is short, but it is action-packed! What do you guys think will happen next? Was Peter right to react the way he did? Will Toby do anything about it? What will happen to Melissa, Spencer and Veronica now?**

 _ **! THE NEXT CHAPTER IS GOING TO HAVE A TIME JUMP OF 6 MONTHS ! **_

**I wanted to get on with writing about Spencer and Toby's little family and how they cope, so the next chapter will start a few months before the baby is born. There will be a few paragraphs at the beginning to fill everyone in on what has happened in the last six months, but I didn't want to spend too much time on the boring stuff... anyway I just wanted to let you know or warn you I suppose! Review with ideas and I really need to start thinking of baby names so comment with suggestions! - A (jk its just me... tricked you)**


	11. The First Interlude

**So I know you guys were expecting the grand Six Months Later chapter, but it's still not ready (I'm sorry please don't hurt me I'll give you kittens) so you have the grand Interlude chapter instead! It's quite short and just a little background as to why Spencer tutored Toby/ what goes through that crazy (but amazing) mind of hers! I thought I might do one of these interlude things every ten chapters, what do you guys think? Also, I renamed all the chapters because I want to take this more seriously, and I'm also editing all the chapters, so yeah. Enjoy this, the next upload will be a while sorry!**

* * *

The First Interlude

OR

The Definition Of Spontaneous

* * *

Spencer Hastings had never been spontaneous. She had heard of the word, she had written it down, she had spoken the word. But she had never been its meaning. The dictionary definition, which of course she knew, was: to perform an act that is impulsive. Some synonyms for the word spontaneous, which she naturally knew as well, were; unplanned, impromptu, and her personal favourite; extemporaneous. However, Spencer felt she could never truly understand the word without completing the definition. So, at the ripe age of fourteen years old, Spencer Hastings wrote a list of things to do. The twenty-ninth bullet point on that list was to do something considered spontaneous. And that twenty-ninth bullet point was one of the hardest and most rewarding things she'd ever do in the entirety of her life.

At first, the little fourteen year old with the agenda of doing something spontaneous seemed easy, and Spencer prepared to mentally check it off her checklist within days. All she had to do was stay out a little later than planned on a Friday night after school, or choose pasta instead of fish in the canteen for lunch. But every supposed spontaneous act she performed, was calculated and precise. Which defeated the whole purpose of the act in the first place. She would count down the seconds she was outside longer than expected. She would weigh up the possible disadvantages of eating fish over pasta. And it drove her little (but not dense) mind up the wall. So she decided to wait until she was fourteen to complete her task.

At the age of fifteen, Spencer rewrote her beloved list of things to do in a brand new fountain pen she'd acquired for her birthday. The spontaneous task still remained bullet point twenty nine, and the challenge of completing it lingered also. She tried with all her being to do something impulsive. She invited school mates round to her house for tea, and wore bright colours that clashed on weekend outings. But the fact remained that she couldn't be spontaneous without being simultaneously defined. Besides, her mother was getting fed up of her wearing purple t-shirts, orange trousers and huge red berets when they visited her grandmother. So she decided to wait until she was fifteen to complete her task.

Sixteen years of age and as determined as ever, Spencer's cherished list was dug up out of her chest of drawers and consulted for inspiration. She tried not to plan her spontaneous acts, but her efforts were in vain. It just wasn't fair; all her friends were spontaneous. Alison could go to the mall and spend over a hundred dollars without checking with her parents multiple times. Aria could come out with a song and start writing lyrics on any old scrap bit of paper without worrying if she lost it or accidently tore it up. Emily could go up to the riding fields and mount a horse without wondering if she was needed at home or if the weather would change suddenly. Hanna could miss days at a time of school to go to concerts her dad had paid for and not copy up work from the lessons. And Spencer was getting sick of it. So, yes you guessed it (who would have thought?), she decided to wait until she was seventeen to complete her task.

Spencer, seventeen and more unwavering than ever now, was going to be spontaneous. There wasn't a question about it. She just _was_ going to be. She was sure of it this time, it was just going to happen. She could feel it. Alison's disappearance, her death, all the messages from A, everything that had happened between that day when she was fourteen and decided to be spontaneous, didn't matter. She had been through so much, and now they were stuck in the mystery that Ali had brought upon them, and all she could think about was how stupid her attempts at being spontaneous were. It was ridiculous, but it was getting to her. Why couldn't she just do it? Why couldn't she just be spontaneous? And then, sitting on in her room with Emily one day, the answer just popped into her mind. She was thinking. That was the problem. All the problems she had ever acquired in her life had just been a case of thinking logically and making the right decisions. But that was the exact opposite of the definition of being spontaneous. All she had to do was… well, _nothing_. Just wait for her heart (or maybe gut, heart was a bit too cliché for her liking) to tell her to do something she hadn't realised she'd wanted to do before. Like, I don't know, tutoring a certain neighbour. Or something.

And that's was the beginning of how she ended up in the position that she currently was in. It was all a matter of compulsion and commencements, purpose and perseverance. So if anyone ever did ask why she had a child at seventeen, she definitely wouldn't tell them all that. Because, let's face it, when someone asks you that, a good response is not 'I wanted to be spontaneous!'. Spencer Hastings learnt that the hard way.

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 **Love and rainbows,**

 **K x**


	12. The Hand You're Dealt

**So here it is! The much awaited chapter 12, the time jump AND new characters! Both new characters we meet will have a very important part in the story, so tell me some of your theories! Also, since it's been a while since the grand chapter of 10, I'll give you all a quick recap!**

 **Recap: Spencer is pregnant (if you couldn't remember that, I suggested you see your local doctor) and she's terrified about it. Toby, Jason, the Liars, Melissa and Mrs H all vow to help her through, but Mr H is not being as understanding, and has gone off on one after issuing a threat and throwing round a few punches. He has also been snooping around the Hastings' sisters medical files/other important documents and is blackmailing Mrs D into hiding them.**

 **Phew, ok on with the story!**

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The Hand You're Dealt

OR

Do You Believe In Wishes?

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'Spencer, are you ready?'

The small town of Rosewood was just waking up, the inky black night sky was slowly fading to red of dawn as the sun rose above the tree tops and lit up the sleeping houses. Little shops were just being opened by tired owners and grumpy school children were throwing on clothes and hurriedly finishing their breakfasts. A stray tabby cat was perched on the doorstep of one of the houses, his large eyes searching the street for movement as the little town began to come to life. Cars began to pull away from driveways and people walking to work, shops, and school called out to one another or simply waved in recognition as the normal days' work began.

'Get up, Spencer!'

A lot had happened in the six months that had passed since the morning Spencer had revealed her secret to her parents. Her father had yet to show his face in Rosewood, according to Jason and Toby, who had been on the lookout for him ever since the Hastings women had relayed his threat to them. They had been regularly checking in with local shops to ask if he'd been spotted and phoning work colleagues but Peter had neglected all his clients' cases and disappeared seemingly off of the face of the earth. Trying to track down Peter was not the only thing Toby had been occupying himself with, however. Spencer had been pleasantly surprised; relieved even, to find that Toby was determined to provide for their new little family. He was taking extra jobs at any opportunity, even ones that were hours away from Rosewood, and still making time to go round to the Hastings every day to check up on Spencer's wellbeing.

'I'm not asking you again, Spence!'

And Spencer, on the other hand, was stuck at home with her sister all day. As Veronica had to work extra time to make up for the money Peter would have been earning, she couldn't be at home to monitor her daughter's every move. Even though Veronica was still angry with Spencer, she felt a slight pang of jealous every time she would come home late at night to news of another kick, or more cravings. Melissa, on the other hand, had been let off getting a job so she could be home to make sure Spencer was ok, as a few weeks before her sixth month of pregnancy, the school had informed her that they would no longer let her attend classes. Of course, her mother had hired a tutor to visit from 10am till 1pm, and Hanna, Emily and Aria arrived every day at 4pm and didn't leave until earliest 7pm, so it wasn't as if she was on her own. She had Melissa, and Toby spent every non-working minute by her side, but it did get a bit boring with just her and the baby bump lying on the couch all day.

'We are going to be late!'

As for how she was dealing with the wonderful miracle that is having a child, well, there were pros and cons, she found. She was beginning to warm to the idea of having a little baby toddling around the house, and Toby was rather excited too. She couldn't wait to watch it learn about the ways of world for the first time, study it's face when it learned about the great inventions and leaders of our times, hold it's hand when it took it's first steps, hear it's little voice speak her name-

'Spencer Hastings, get up right now!'

The warm sheets were torn from her body and the angry face of her sister was looming above her.

'Spencer, come on, the doctors will be waiting !' Melissa cried.

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Have you ever had a sister? If you have, you'd know that some are fussy and some are not. To Spencer's surprise and amusement, Melissa was a fussy one.

'Do you need a glass of water?'

'Want to sit down?'

'Are you feeling tired?'

'Hungry?'

'Sick?'

'MELISSA!'

Spencer turned to her sister, whose concerned features were peering down at her. They were in the doctors waiting room, and Melissa had been interrupting Spencer's already-worrying thoughts to question her comfort every few minutes. As Spencer shouted, a few annoyed elders issued glares in her direction. Spencer sensed it wasn't just because of the noise.

'Would you please just - _be quiet_?' Spencer tried to say it as nicely as she could, she knew Melissa was only trying to help, but she honestly couldn't take anymore bother from anyone other than the tiny baby who was currently pushing on her bladder.

'Oh. Right, sorry.' Melissa replied with a sheepish smile.

It wasn't long before the receptionist, whose name plate read 'Sherrie', called them up to the desk in her cool, calm voice.

'Spencer Hastings!'

Spencer's cheeks flushed as her surname was called, making the elderly women titter amongst themselves again. Melissa pushed her forward, however, frowning at the women boldly.

Sherrie the receptionist peered at them both through her small green-rimmed glasses with a certain amount of distain. They stared back uncertainly, wondering if she was going to elaborate. Sherrie held their gaze for a few more minutes, giving Spencer time to assess her matching green two-piece suit and deep pink high heels and earrings. Her blond hair was reasonable short and was straightened sensibly.

Finally she spoke in her cold voice again.

'Doctor Evans will see you now. Please enter through the blue door and give you name and other details to the man in there, before entering through the _other_ blue door and meeting with Doctor Evans.'

'Ok, so blue door, name and details, other blue door, right?' Melissa repeated.

'Precisely. Now go.'

The two sister exchanged puzzled looks as they pushed open blue door number one, wondering why Sherrie had been so cold and harsh. As they adjusted to their new surroundings, Spencer spotted the man they were supposed to be looking for.

'Excuse me, sir, are you who we're supposed to give names and details to?' Spencer asked him.

He had spiky black hair and bright blue eyes, and looked about twenty or so. He didn't look very professional, wearing battered converse and skinny jeans with a rock band t-shirt. He smiled much more warmly than Sherrie when he spotted them.

'Ah, of course, yes, I'm Dan!' he said cheerily. 'This wont take long, if you'd like to take a seat!'

He gestured to two chairs seated either side of a small table, on which was a form of two or so pages. Melissa helped Spencer sit down and Dan filled the seat opposite her. He straightened the form and pulled a pen from his hair comically, winking at Spencer when Melissa gasped in shock. She smiled politely back, as he took of the lid and looked back up at her.

'So, your name is?' he asked.

'Spencer Anne Hastings.' she replied.

'And date of birth?'

Spencer answered his questions tiredly, watching him move down the first sheet very quickly about her standard information, until he turned the page over and the questions got harder and more personal.

'And why do you need to speak with Doctor Evans?' Dan asked.

Spencer didn't say anything, looking at him apprehensively. 'Isn't it obvious?'

Dan said nothing, simply smirking in a rather irritating fashion and scribbling something in his notebook. He looked up to ask her the next question, and Spencer knew that he was enjoying this.

'Stable family situation?' He enquired.

Melissa shifted uncomfortably behind her, clearing her throat and willing Spencer to make this interaction much briefer than Dan intended.

'What exactly is your definition of stable?' Spencer asked sullenly.

Melissa nudged her warningly, but Dan answered in a monotone voice.

'You know, the usual average family home.'

'Ah yes. The usual average family home.' Spencer repeated. 'That's the perfect way of describing our family.'

Dan raised an eyebrow but Spencer didn't expand. He jotted more words down on his sheet.

'Any previous medical problems?' He continued.

'Nothing out of the ordinary.' Spencer said shortly, watching the ticking clock on the wall longingly. 'Do you usually do this? I don't remember talking to you when I visited here before? Couldn't I have filled out the form myself in the waiting room?'

'It's a new scheme we're trying. Interaction with the patients. You don't seem to have taken to in very well.' Dan said, chewing on the lid of his pen.

Spencer said nothing, her gaze burning into his as they tried to outstare each other.

'Well, erm, if there's nothing else you'd like to ask Spencer, may we go through?' Melissa interrupted.

Dan nodded swiftly, standing up from his chair and pointing the way.

Spencer pulled herself up, still glaring at Dan, and her and Melissa made their way over to the indicated door.

'Oh, I forgot to ask!' Dan called, just as they were about to go through. 'Is there anything _you'd_ like to ask _me_? You know, about the form?'

Melissa shook her head before Spencer had time to process the question, It was obvious she wanted to be gone as soon as possible. But hang on. There was something she wanted to ask. Something she needed answered. And who better to ask this question to than someone like Dan. In fact, it was so perfect, Spencer cursed herself for not realising earlier.

'Yes, actually.' She said. 'I want to know, how easily could one access a persons medical files and acquire them permanently?'

Dan frowned. 'I don't think that's possible.'

Spencer smiled, feeling smug now that she had the upper hand on Dan. 'Then why, Daniel, has the exact scenario happened to my sister and I?'

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 **Love and rainbows,**

 **K x**


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